Chapter 7: Everchanging
Cambridge, August 2006
On a quiet Sunday afternoon, Martin returned from the kitchen with a tray in his hands. He placed four cups of tea on the coffee table. Two for Luella and Madoka, and another one front of an empty spot next to the ladies. Then he took his own cup and sat down in the big seat next to the sofa.
A relaxing piano piece played from a corner of the living room.
Martin glanced at Madoka after sipping his tea. He hadn't spoken to Madoka after dropping the twins off at the airport. Her 'date' piqued his curiosity to the point that he watched out for any sign of Timothy at the college. Martin passed him by in the hallways a few times, but each time one or both had been occupied. The fact that they were in two completely different departments did not help. Not to mention this wasn't a matter he could bring up without sounding intrusive.
Martin knew it was none of his business so he wisely kept his mouth shut.
However, a couple of days ago Martin happened to bump into Tina. Apparently, Timothy had spent the past three weeks in a daze. Going by his odd behaviour, Tina speculated that it had something to do with the same woman whom he invited to the coffee house almost two month ago.
Martin narrowed his eyes at Madoka.
Could it be...?
"I can't believe Oliver said this."
Luella stared at Madoka's phone.
"I couldn't either," Madoka said.
Luella started muttering under her breath.
"This is going too fast."
She was clearly worried about the drastic turn of events.
Martin could not disagree with that sentiment and leaned forward.
"What did he say?"
Luella handed him the phone.
Martin took it and scanned the text displayed on the screen. His frown deepened while reading it.
Dear Madoka,
I decided to take up your proposal for establishing and becoming the head of the Japanese branch of SPR. The branch will accommodate my research for the time being. Gene and I will call our parents tomorrow at 11 in the morning to discuss the details. It's best to get in touch with them and join the conversation.
Oliver
Martin had suspected that Noll would gain mild interest in Japan during the trip, but the suddenness of that decision surprised him.
What in the world happened? Martin thought and placed Madoka's phone on the coffee table.
In the meanwhile, Luella showed Madoka the message from Gene on her phone.
"I was gobsmacked after reading this!"
Dear mum and dad,
Don't worry we are alive and well! Our phones died during a long hike and we weren't able contact you during that time! I'll get straight to the point: I want to do my A levels here in Japan. Oh, and Noll's going full mad scientist and joining my adventure. Will call you tomorrow at 11 in the morning to get you updated. I hear Madoka might want to join you. Speak to you soon.
Gene
"I wonder what convinced him," Martin said.
Madoka laughed.
"I'm willing to bet he gets a lot of attention from the girls over there."
"I bet he does. Both will," Luella said, and pursed her lips. "I just don't like the idea of letting Eugene loose on his own."
Martin nodded.
"Neither do I."
"He has Noll," Madoka said.
He shook his head.
"Noll can't be there for him every time," Martin said. "I'm glad they went on the trip together, but I'm also of the opinion that they should grow a little more independent from one the other."
"But they're still minors," Luella said.
Martin agreed. "Of course. At least one adult should go with them. We need someone who can watch over both."
Luella sighed.
"That's the problem. The two of us have jobs here. Not to mention you can't speak a lick of Japanese and I am barely proficient. Who would you suggest?"
Madoka's gaze moved to the corner of the room. Luella and Martin turned their heads.
Lin stopped playing the piano and stared back at them.
"What?"
Madoka smiled.
"Well. Lin has all the qualifications. He speaks Japanese very well and spent a significant amount of time in Tokyo itself. I am sure he can guide and protect your boys from harm…" Madoka said, then added, "and themselves."
Luella turned to look at Martin and said: "What do you think?"
Her face had brightened up at Madoka's idea.
Indeed, if Lin was with them…
"Not a bad suggestion at all…"
"There you have it," She nodded in satisfaction. "We would be very happy if Lin lives with the boys."
"Brilliant!" Madoka clapped her hands. "Lin! You'll become their babysitter!"
Lin blinked.
"…I beg your pardon?"
Luella sank back into the sofa with a cup of tea in hand.
"Darling, how much do you reckon that it's going to cost us?"
Martin folded his arms.
"Tokyo is an expensive city. We can't pay everything out of our pockets," he said while scratching his chin. "Both Lin and Noll will get a salary from the SPR. If all goes well, they may be able to count on the goodwill of a patron."
"But that won't be enough to cover for Eugene as well," Luella said.
Martin nodded.
She added, "And we need to pay babysitter fees for Lin."
Lin blanched.
"I don't remember agreeing to any of this."
Martin smiled weakly.
"I'm sure it will be fine!"
Lin started to panic a little.
"I hear what you say, but could you consider other options?"
Madoka inclined her head innocently.
"Do we have other options?"
"Madoka… Professsor…"
Luella chuckled.
"Don't worry, Lin. You'll get paid."
"But-"
"Babysitter fees, Lin. Babysitter fees," Luella emphasized. "Don't underestimate raising twin boys. If you ever have children, you'll understand."
Lin sighed.
"Then how will Eugene pay for his school fees..."
"He'll have to get a part time job. I'm not letting that boy off easily. He'll need to work for it," Luella said and turned to look at Madoka. "Is it possible for Gene to get part-time work?"
"Hmm, I'll investigate it."
"And Oliver will receive a small salary, right? How about we give a portion of our budget to Lin?"
Martin nodded. "Good idea."
At that moment, the phone rang.
Luella pushed the button of the loudspeaker. After a few second they heard a familiar voice.
"Good morning from Tokyo! Good morning."
The people in the room frowned simultaneously. This could get complicated.
"Good morning... Great to hear the two of you. Can you let one of you speak first?" Luella said. "I don't think any of us can distinguish your voices like this."
A few seconds passed before they heard the twins' reactions.
"Oh. Sorry. You talk first. No, you do. Fine. I'll go ahead. I can't hear the conversation like this. ...Put the phone there. Damn it. Now I can't hear. Shut up."
Martin put a hand against his forehead. "Are the two of you done?"
"Yes."
"And this is?" Madoka asked.
"Oliver."
"I read your message. I let the higher ups know about your decision," she said, "and about the financial support... I'll send you a follow up by text."
"Thank you."
"I have a question," Luella interrupted. "How long do you plan on staying in Japan?"
"At least two years as Gene plans on completing his education here."
Luella frowned a little.
"I suppose that means you won't enter university next year."
"I'll postpone it."
"Alright then, if you say so," Luella said even though she didn't seem entirely convinced.
Martin added some support for his son.
"Oliver is young. I don't mind if he resumes at a later point in life."
"You're right," Luella said. "I'm sorry for interrupting. Please go on, Madoka."
Madoka nodded.
"I brought Lin with me. I thought you would want to speak with him as well."
"Lin? …Yes, I'd like to."
Lin sat down.
"What can I do for you?"
"You are probably aware of this, but Madoka indicated that she would stay in Cambridge to keep the field laboratory running. That only leaves you as the only other Japanese-speaking person who can help me with this."
Going by his light nod, Lin seemed to understand. There were five Japanese-speaking people in the laboratory, including Madoka, Lin and the twins. The fifth person had a family with small children. Lin had no such ties at the moment.
"Very well."
The person at the end of the line sighed.
"Thank you. It will be of great help. Especially if we take up cases. I will require your skills for at least two years. Your tasks will be essentially the same as before."
"Understood."
Martin interrupted.
"You have no qualms if Lin lives with you two for the time being?"
"I already expected that since we're still minors…"
"Good. Luella and I won't leave you two on your own in a foreign country until you're of age."
"I understand, father and mother."
Martin could sense their grimaces at the end of the line.
"Well, it won't be too much of a trouble to hire an office and a flat with a portion of SPR's budget which includes two salaries… But the problem is- "
"Gene."
"Yes, can we talk to him?"
"Yes," Noll's voice said.
"It's me, Gene," the same voice appeared to say.
Luella started. "Dear, what in the world are you planning to do?"
"Like I said, I want to do my A levels here -"
"No, why and how?"
Gene sighed.
"I really like it here and it's a great chance to brush up my Japanese reading and writing, and… to get more involved with the culture? There's so much I didn't know about."
Both Martin and Luella understood. It could be a nice and positive cultural experience for both twins, but still… they had expected that it would remain at the level of 'holiday trips'.
Gene continued, "To prove that I'm going to take an A level in Japanese."
"Madoka did tell us about a British school in Tokyo. But do they teach Japanese there too?"
"Yeah. The exams are all about reading and writing though, so that will be a bit of a hurdle to overcome…"
"Can you?"
"I trust my good memory!"
Luella sighed.
"Then what about your school here?"
"Oh, about that. I'll de-register after we get back. And I need to submit a list of grades to the new school. If one you could scan my diploma and mail it to me..."
Martin folded his arms. "Of course. I'll scan a copy."
"Thanks, Martin."
"…Just one more thing."
"Yes?"
"How much are the school fees?"
"Uh."
"I'm not paying," Noll said.
"I know that!"
The call ended with Luella suggesting Gene to take up a part-time job. Martin was satisfied, but a little apprehensive at how quickly it escalated. One day they expected Noll and Gene to return to their regular ways, and the next day the twins suggested to go abroad to advance their own endeavours. He couldn't help but wonder what had brought this on. It was all very new to him. Not only him, but Luella as well. She was a little nervous during the call, but now she seemed supportive.
Being supportive was all they could do, but it would help if someone else kept an eye on the twins while they weren't there.
Luella was the first to address Lin.
"So about the babysitter fees…"
She quickly arranged something with Lin. He had warmed up a little to becoming a 'babysitter' and accepted his new job despite initial misgivings. However, it quickly became clear that Lin needed a smoke, so after excusing himself, he headed out. Madoka decided it was time to leave as well.
Martin saw them out.
"Madoka."
Madoka stopped.
"Yes?"
"How did the lab tour go?"
Unfortunately, Madoka saw through his question.
"You're asking about Timothy?"
First name basis, he noted.
"… Yes."
"I toured him around a little. He seemed very interesred. Oh, and he met Lin."
Martin stared at Lin, who stood near Madoka's car. He wore a pensive expression.
"Lin was there? How did that go?"
She smiled brightly.
"As well as you might expect."
Martin frowned. That didn't tell him anything.
"Anyway," Madoka said. "I must thank you, Professor."
"...For what?"
Madoka smiled.
"Nothing," she said innocently. "By the way, I was wondering about Gene."
"Gene?"
"He seemed depressed."
"Oh, that was because of his ex-girlfriend," Martin said. "Gene told you about her, didn't he? I think he's fine now. Ready to move on."
"Yes, but... I can't help but think it was something else now."
"What?"
"Right before the flight. When I asked about school he seemed worried about something."
"School?" Martin blinked. "Gene was ranked second best in his year."
"Is that so? It sounded like he was already considering to change schools."
Martin blinked. Both Luella and he had assumed it had concerned Gene's love life rather than school. Gene never mentioned anything about enrolling into a different Sixth Form prior to the flight.
"No?" She said. "Then I must have imagined it."
He smiled wryly.
"Who knows… These days the boys don't tell me everything."
Lin had finished his cigarette and gestured at Madoka.
"Anyway, I must be going now," she said and went over to the car. "I'll contact you as soon as possible."
Martin nodded at Lin.
"I'm sorry for dragging you into this, Lin."
Lin shrugged.
"It's… a little unexpected, considering Noll's previous stance."
"But not unwelcome?"
"I don't mind going back to Japan."
"Oh, that's rare thing for you to say."
"I did not hate living there," Lin said, and looked up at the sky with a smile. "In fact, I can easily imagine why Noll changed his mind."
Tokyo, August 2006
Gene did all that he could to make living in Tokyo as a high school student possible. There were only a few days left of their stay in Japan before returning to the UK.
He applied to the school after Martin and Luella sent him a copy of his diploma. Now he would have to wait on the decision of Admission Office before being offered a place, or worse, be placed in a waiting pool. Ideally, Gene wanted transfer in next month or in October at latest. However, the people of the Admission Office seemed impressed by his achievements, so it looked like there wouldn't be much of a trouble to get into the school.
In the meanwhile, Noll regularly received updates from Madoka, who had to arrange proper visas as well as taking care of the business side of things for the Japanese branch of the Society of Psychical Research. Luckily, her parents and their business partners were well-acquainted with those processes, so all Noll and Gene could do was wait on her to pull the strings. All of this would take time though. In other words, it could possibly take a while before they could settle in.
Gene decided to enjoy the remaining days by going to Akihabara and some other places that Noll didn't want to visit. Noll had lost the will to accompany Gene wherever he went. By the time they returned to Tokyo, Noll had taken to holing up inside their air-conditioned hotel room and wasting the days away by sleeping and writing in a notebook.
Gene wondered if Noll was bothered by something. He searched the surface of Noll's thoughts whenever he got a chance, but found no clue.
At the very least they were staying at a western-style hotel in Shinjuku; Noll seemed grateful to eat decent vegetarian meals after having some days of compromises. Gene speculated that Noll's current behaviour was due to exhaustion. The heat and humidity had taken a turn for the worse to the point that it affected Gene himself. Instead of using a summer jacket, he resigned to using sunscreen on his arms. That's why Gene couldn't blame Noll for feeling a bit under the weather.
After a quick dinner at a ramen restaurant, Gene headed back to the hotel. He recounted his day to Noll, who grudgingly listened, then exhaustion settled in; Gene fell asleep.
His focus settled on a lone figure in a hazy dream.
Gene knew it was the girl, because of that painful feeling he couldn't quite explain.
The girl wandered around in her room as if in a daze. Her body was in a futon next to her.
She's a natural, Gene thought. I wonder if I could teach her.
Gene attempted to reach out to her with his hand, but she was a long distance away from him.
Instead, his eyes opened. He was in the hotel again. Gene looked to the side.
Noll was reading his notebook on the other bed, but he wasn't paying any attention to him.
Gene sat up and looked down at his hands.
"Ah."
At realizing his current state, Gene stepped out of his body.
"Well, this is surprising."
He usually made a conscious decision to astral walk. Either by his own will or induced by someone. This time it was neither. It only happened a few times in his life. Including his very first out-of-body experience.
Gene blinked.
"Wait. Didn't I start out like this?"
He reached out to her. Wanted to find her.
"Back then I was looking for…"
Father.
Neither Gene or Noll remembered what he was like, because he hardly came home, and when he did, he would keep distance from his sons. However, Gene could clearly remember his face; neither he or Noll looked much like him. They resembled their mother much more.
Sometimes their father would sleep in the apartment, but more than often he left immediately. When Gene was little, he often wondered why father always left.
On a winter night, Gene heard the front door closing. Father had left again. Gene decided to follow him out in his pyjamas. He wanted to find out where he was going, so he walked behind the tall figure for a long time. Strangely, he felt warm and light on his bare feet despite the cold. At one point, a car stopped in front of them. Father talked to the driver and got in the backseat, never noticing Gene. Then they drove off, leaving Gene in a place he could not recognize. He had no idea how to find his way back home. So, he wandered the streets of Boston at night. When he asked for help from the few people on the streets, no one noticed him. This continued until he gave up and asked Noll for help through the hotline. Noll shook him awake and told him he had been dreaming. After learning that Gene had seen their father getting into a car with someone, Noll had frowned. However, mother had looked upset. And frightened.
Gene shook his head. This wasn't the time to reminiscence.
He got out of his bed and stared down at the pages of Noll's notebook. Gene found something familiar between the pages. Noll had taken the letter to Japan.
Gene blinked in confusion.
There was little point in 'reading' the letter now. With the future changed, the visions were rendered obsolete. Including the nightmare.
The future has changed. Right?
If Noll heard his thoughts right now, he'd call him a naive fool.
But Gene didn't want to think of an alternative. A life without Noll was unimaginable.
Gene turned and walked through the door to the balcony.
"Where in the world is she?"
He looked out over the side street in which the hotel was located. It seemed identical to reality, but he would have to be more careful if he went out for a walk or flight. Looks could deceive.
"Hmm. Should I really be doing this...?" Gene muttered.
He was in practically unknown territory. These days he could wake up by himself if he got himself lost. But if he ran into something bad, he'd get an earful from Noll. After all, being in this state left his astral and corporeal body vulnerable. Being in an astral state, made it easier for spirits to approach him. On top of that, purifying spirits depended on his state of mind. It was even more difficult whenever he felt depressed. That's why he hardly approached any spirits of his own accord in the past months. However, Gene assumed he would have no trouble with it now. He managed to purify the school a couple of days ago and it turned out okay.
"Sorry, Noll. You're gonna miss out on something amazing."
Gene flew off the balcony and ascended into the sky.
"Not bad," he said. "Not bad at all. I should have done this earlier."
His eyes feasted at the sight. The sky was clear. Huge skyscrapers towered behind Shinjuku Station. The large garden in Shinjuku which they had visited had turned almost completely dark. …And that glowing thing in the far distance? That was unmistakably Tokyo Tower.
"God. This is so beautiful. I wish I could show this to Noll."
Gene sighed. It was wishful thinking. His brother would never see this.
Wait.
He could show it to her.
Gene shook his head. No, he had decided against going too far. Perhaps he would look for her one day. But not now. It would be bad if Noll tried to wake him up…
He looked down at the neighbourhood.
There were several karaoke bars further down the main street near the hotel, but it wasn't fun to hear people sing and not sing along himself. Wasn't there a cinema close by? He flew over to the main street. Back in Cambridge, Gene loved to take naps and catch the latest blockbusters without spending a single penny.
Suddenly, he stopped and slapped his fist against his palm.
"Wait, I have a better idea. How about the arcade!"
Gene grinned widely.
He could fiddle with the machines, help people get their toys and put a smile on their faces! And he knew exactly where to go…
Noll waited for Gene to fall asleep before paging through his notebook. His fingers stopped moving once the envelope came into view. Taking Haruka's letter had been a last-minute decision. He did not read it again after first time. Noll was loath to experience the series of precognitive visions again.
However, now that Gene's death had been prevented, he was curious about the contents of the letter.
Did the visions remain? Or did they no longer exist?
Noll pressed his finger against the envelope and focused.
Late evening. Cars. Tokyo. Envelope. Red mailbox in front of her. Hesitation. Doubt. Compassion. Doubt. Compassion. Doubt. Save her family. Doubt. Change.
Nothing about that post-cognitive vision had changed, so he proceeded to lift the flap of the envelope.
Noll stared at the letter for a moment before putting his fingers against it.
Blank paper. Pen. Writing. No hesitation. Friend.
Then nothing.
Although there was a faint trace of Haruka's person on both the envelope and the letter, the pull had considerably weakened. Noll could see the visions he had previously marked as psychometric, but none of the visions which he had experienced the very first time came to mind.
Noll let out a shaky breath and peered down at his brother.
Did Gene's 'nightmare' vanish along with the other premonitions? If not, he would see it soon.
He laid down on his bed and stared at the ceiling. Noll remained like that for a half hour, but his brother continued sleeping. He bit his lip in frustration. Relief had washed over him for a short while, but the entire ordeal didn't sit well with him despite the good outcome.
Noll knew he had severely underestimated Haruka the moment he touched the book in Nagoya. She may not have been fully precognitive, but her predictive abilities were immensely powerful. In other words, that book was merely a show of her abilities. Haruka was similar to him, and yet she wasn't.
He needed to know more.
Noll opened his eyes and looked at Gene who slept soundly under the sheets. He wasn't bound to wake up until the next morning.
Noll got up and turned his attention again to the envelope.
He had his own way of countering her, even if she was a few steps ahead of him.
It was something only he could do. He had done this plenty of times when he tried to locate Gene's whereabouts. Usually, using any of his brother's belongings would do the trick.
He opened the envelope, touched the letter and focused on her current location.
Noll widened his eyes. How did she...?
Gene had been right. Someone had followed them... and it was her.
Noll got up and turned off the lights, then proceeded towards the entrance of the hotel.
After getting out of the lift, his eyes spotted a girl with long jet-black hair outside the entrance. She seemed to be completely alone.
Noll exited the hotel and stood in front of the girl.
The fair hair and pigtails had gone. She held big round glasses in her hands.
"Good evening, Oliver-san."
"...Mayumi."
The girl nodded and settled the frame on her nose.
"I wanted to talk to you and I thought you might want answers to your questions. I can provide them."
He narrowed his eyes at her.
"Who are you exactly?"
"I think you already know," she said.
Noll sighed.
"So this is how you usually look like?"
The girl shrugged.
"Perhaps."
He folded his arms.
"You were the one who followed us around in Kyoto."
"Correct."
"And then you changed your disguise because Gene noticed you."
She let out an exaggerated sigh.
"...Your brother is quite the womanizer. It's bothersome. I had to change my disguise at least three times because of him."
He snorted. No wonder she seemed constantly irritated by Gene.
"You're Haruka Tooyama," Noll said. "How did you find us here?"
At the mention of her name, 'Mayumi' met his gaze.
"Back then I planted something on your shirt while you weren't looking."
Noll blinked.
"What?"
"It's bugged," Haruka pointed her hand at the back of her shirt. "Please dispose it after you return to your room."
Noll took a moment to let it sink in. She even used high tech. It must have happened at the bus stop.
"Why?"
"I got tired of following you two around the whole time," Haruka explained, "I apologize for taking that opportunity."
Noll recalled the man in the van who drove her to the bus stop. Could it be the doing of that person? Naturally, Haruka couldn't have done everything on her own. After all, she could not be older than Noll himself. That man had to be involved.
I must be careful.
"We stand out here," Haruka said, looking to the side. "Let's walk."
"Where do we talk?"
"Do you have any preference?"
He considered his options.
"Somewhere quiet, and close by" Noll said, "A public place. I'm sure you can find one."
Haruka took a moment to process this, then she turned around.
"Follow me."
Noll followed her out into the main street.
Haruka turned around the corner. Noll didn't think much of it until he realized that they were already in Kabukicho. He walked past this area with Gene many times during the day, but if he recalled correctly Madoka had warned not to hang around in this neighbourhood during the evenings. Noll couldn't help but feel irritated at Madoka's choice. If it bothered her that much, that why did she reserve a room close to -
Haruka suddenly stopped walking.
"That place will suit your taste. We can talk privately there."
Noll looked up at large round red neon letters. A karaoke establishment? He frowned at her choice.
"Here's a karaoke room without neighbours. It's a weekday so it's relatively quiet now."
That made somewhat sense.
"You don't like it? There's another one over there."
She pointed at somewhere further down the street.
"No, this will do."
They entered the building.
Haruka went up to the front desk and asked for a suitable room. Since a drink order was required, they ordered that too.
Then they entered the lift.
"We have one hour," Haruka said. She pushed the button of the fifth floor. "That should be enough."
Noll stared at the girl. Even when they first met her, she always struck him as incredibly confident.
"Have you ever been in a karaoke room?" she asked when the doors opened.
"Gene dragged me into one during our first week here."
"Really?" she said, clearly amused. "I thought you couldn't read Japanese?"
"Yes, it was quite useless," Noll said. "He ended up singing English songs."
He didn't know how he managed to suffer through that ordeal. In hindsight, it hadn't been necessary at all.
"You can't sing?"
"I don't sing."
Haruka lead him to the far end of the corridor. Most rooms seemed unoccupied.
The room assigned to them was one of the smaller ones in the corridor. A large table in the middle barely fit into the room. Noll sat down on the sofa opposite of Haruka, who seemed distracted by the food and drink menus on the table.
He decided to get straight to business.
"You saved my brother," Noll said, looking her in the eye. "But I can't trust you."
She leaned her back against the sofa with the food menu in her hand.
"I figured that would be the case."
"…You seem accustomed to using pseudonyms and disguises."
Haruka shrugged. "For better or worse, people seek me out."
"…Seek you out?"
"Because of my precognition. Surely you understand my situation?"
Noll bit his lips. Even now the SPR daily received letters from families of missing people who wanted him to use his psychometry. At one point his parents forbade him from indiscriminately taking on requests, so these days he only took on special requests.
The fact that Haruka had a similar experience didn't surprise Noll.
"Yes."
Haruka gave a sigh of relief before continuing.
"I've been advised not to use my real name for a while."
"But you wrote your real name on the letter. You put yourself at risk."
Noll pulled the folded envelope from the pocket of his trousers. He put it on the table, sliding it to the opposite side.
Haruka blinked and took the envelope in her hands.
"You kept it..."
She opened it and took the letter out.
"I… I wanted to make sure you would trust me."
"I see," Noll said. "Speaking of names, how were you able to identify me in your predictions?"
She looked up at him with a calm gaze.
"You used PK and what appeared to be psychometry in some of my predictions. Your abilities are publicly known. Secondly, the initials of your office will be SPR... It didn't take long for me to make the connection," Haruka said, then placed the letter on the table, "but I cannot know everything. The further away, the more muddled it becomes. For example, I didn't know Eugene was your identical twin brother."
He gave a small grin. "That isn't public knowledge."
"It surprised me..." Haruka put a hand against her forehead and sighed. "In any case, I knew your trip would occur this year. All what was left to do is track the names of UK passengers and find your names."
His eyes narrowed.
"But you seem to be around my age. How did you accomplish such a feat?"
Haruka expressed a sheepish smile.
"I know this sounds suspicious, but…I have connections."
Noll frowned.
"How many are involved other than you?"
"Only one. But apart from that, they are not involved." Haruka paused to stare at her wristwatch. "It's taking long for our drinks to arrive."
Noll ignored her complaint and drummed a finger against the table.
"Is it the man who brought you to the bus stop?"
"...Yeah. I asked him to do various things for me, but he doesn't know much else. I'm doing this for personal reasons you see." Haruka turned her head to the door. Someone knocked. "Oh, there it is!"
She got up and went over to the door. A waiter came in and handed over two tall glasses of iced tea with lemon and plenty of ice cubes.
The door closed again.
"I picked my favourite," Haruka said, and smiled brightly. "By the way, I will pay for everything including the drinks."
Noll shrugged. "Be my guest."
After placing the drinks on the table, Haruka sat down and started stirring the long spoon in her glass.
"Anyway, I needed to know your habits for a better reading. That's why I followed you around to get a rough grasp on your schedule. I knew Gene would have died if he went alone, but I didn't know when it would happen."
Noll frowned and took his own glass in his hands.
"Then why did you intervene despite my presence?"
She sipped through the neon green straw before answering his question.
"…Do you want to know?" Haruka said.
Her facial expression was serious.
"Yes."
"…You won't like to hear it."
"I don't mind."
Haruka leaned back against the sofa again, closed her eyes and recounted her predictions.
"There were several possibilities. One. You pass out at the bus stop and your brother takes care of you. Two. Your brother leaves without you and dies. His body is taken away. Three. You go together, but one dies instantly and the other is injured... but dies at the hands of the driver."
Noll put the glass back on the table.
What…
She paused before continuing.
"Four. One gets hit by the car and the other is uninjured. A fight with the driver ensues, ... the driver is critically injured. The bus arrives at the scene and..."
Her voice had trailed off. He was no longer looking at her. He couldn't look her in the eye anymore.
"Actually, I really don't care to talk about what would have happened next."
Noll could barely bring himself to speak. "…You saw all of that?"
"I had hoped your future would have changed enough to avoid a similar situation. That's why I had to step in."
That's because he left all the planning to Gene. Just the thought that Haruka saw those predictions unfold made Noll sick to the stomach. It was a needless experiment. His curiosity got the best out of him. Gene was a fool for getting into such a dangerous situation in the first place, but he himself was no better.
He gritted his teeth.
An idiot scientist. I'm an idiot scientist.
"I'm sorry," Noll muttered.
"Why?"
Haruka looked out of the window when Noll didn't reply.
"For better or worse, I'm used to it. The only consolation I have is that those visions can be prevented."
A weak smile appeared on her face.
Noll looked away from her drank from the iced tea. A sweet peach flavour. It wasn't bad, but it wouldn't be his first choice.
He continued, "But you didn't send the letter to save Gene."
"Correct."
"…I suppose I owe you something."
Haruka shook her head.
"For some reason, saving Gene would mean I could potentially save you. I don't want anything else if that guarantees my friend's happiness..."
Noll frowned. Haruka had predicted his death. That meant she'd at least seen all events up until then. But did she see the same as Gene?
"I would die an early death."
Haruka nodded.
"I did it because my friend would be devastated and lose her only family," Haruka said. Her smile faded. "She's an orphan."
Noll took a moment to process this. That girl is an orphan? He was starting to understand where Haruka was coming from.
"What do you mean by 'family'?"
"A familial connection. ...It doesn't necessarily mean that you become related to her by traditional means, such as marriage or adoption. Sometimes you simply share a connection with a group of people... something beyond friends or being related by blood," Haruka explained and continued, "In the past predictions I saw you fall... ill for several times after using PK. You ended up in the hospital a couple of times. Then later you spent a very long time in a hospital. I didn't see you anymore after. I presume you… died at some point."
Noll remembered the hospital vision Gene told him about. If his PK went out of control without Gene around, or if he used PK in great amounts, what would happen to his body? There had been a time when he lost control over his abilities and was rendered ill in bed for nearly a year. Was it a similar case? Perhaps even worse?
"You saw more?"
Haruka held up a hand.
"I have no obligation to tell you anything about her dissolved future. It's no longer applicable."
He leaned back and folded his arms.
"I presume you did this without her knowledge."
She looked straight into his eyes.
"Oliver-san… What would you have done if you saw a tragedy waiting to happen?" Her voice contained no hesitation. "Before I acted on these predictions I asked her, "If you could go back in time, would you save your only family?" and she replied that she would."
Noll smiled a little.
"…You're altruistic. Do you prevent tragedies the whole time?"
Haruka went quiet and started stirring the spoon in her glass.
Noll assumed she wasn't going to divulge on the subject and drank his iced tea.
It took a long time for her to speak again.
"I... I became an orphan because of my precognition. I don't wish to see the people around me suffer, not when I can be of some importance."
He scratched the back of his head.
"I suppose she must be lucky to have a friend like you."
She shook her head.
"No, I'm only a cog in the wheel. Honestly, I wish I could be a better friend, but my circumstances don't allow me to retain those bonds," Haruka said and made a sad smile. "You're the one who brings everyone together."
Noll snorted.
"I'm not that kind of person. Gene is."
"Even if you say so, you will meet her in time. The others as well."
"What do you mean?"
"You already made your decision before coming here. And you won't back out of it. Your brother will make sure of it," she said, smiling, then she cocked her head to the side. "By the way, I'm curious. How much did you see of my precognitive visions?"
Noll glanced at her for a few seconds before responding.
"Quite a lot, too much sometimes. Different versions blend and diverge constantly in succession. I can barely tell them apart. The further along, the blurrier it gets. How is it for you?"
"Hmm. It may be difficult to comprehend, but the different futures occur at the same time. I usually see each one very clearly."
He sighed. Perhaps his brain could barely handle it.
"In any case, there was precognitive vision - or at least parts of it - imprinted on the book you gave to Gene."
Haruka blinked.
"Is that how you got out that easily?"
Noll nodded.
"It was an old school building. Thanks to you we managed to purify the building without any trouble. Though I'm sure we would have succeeded even if we had been locked in," he said. "You were able to predict our near future just by us company for a few hours and holding onto the book."
The prediction occurred one day ahead. It told him everything about what could have occurred if they had entered the building.
"Yes, I saw that just before we arrived at our destination," she sighed and looked up at the ceiling. "You must have seen a lot in my letter. I hoped it would only tell you the crucial parts, but it's amazing that you could pick up on that much."
He looked away.
"I stopped at one point. It became… too difficult for me to handle."
Haruka nodded.
"I understand. It is overwhelming to take that much in. As for me, I didn't experience these visions on a single moment."
Well, that explained a lot, Noll thought.
"I would see something of her future every time we met. I don't understand why, but it was so easy and natural to pick up on glimpses of her future. Even at the beginning of our friendship. It felt like we connected on a different level."
"Haruka-san, I have a question… have you ever seen a ghost?"
Haruka was taken aback for a moment, but she instantly answered.
"No?"
She didn't seem to be lying.
"Have you ever had an OBE?"
Haruka raised an eyebrow.
"OBE?"
He sighed. "Out of body experience."
The girl shook her head.
"Then forget what I said. I know enough now."
Haruka grimaced.
"What was that all about?"
He shrugged. "Just checking the extent of your ESP abilities, which only seems to be precognitive clairvoyance"
Her nose wrinkled.
"You really are a scientist, aren't you? One ability is enough."
Noll smirked a little and drank the last of his iced tea.
"Anyway, there's something I need to tell you before we part ways," Haruka said, and folded the letter, "I wouldn't hold onto anything you saw in that letter. The future has changed significantly."
"Of course," he said, "but is it enough to evade an early death?"
"I…"
She stopped talking.
Haruka looked straight at him. Maybe even right through his being. Her expression didn't change.
The letter crumpled in her hands. Her face paled.
"I'm, I'm sorry. I don't understand. I-"
She pressed her lips together in a hard line.
His brows drew together. "What?"
"It's... already set in motion."
Noll widened his eyes.
"My... death?"
She put the letter back in the envelope without saying anything.
"What is it? Tell me."
She spoke one word.
"Crows."
"Crows?"
"That's the word that comes to mind." Her shoulders trembled. "If you want, I can try again."
He'd heard this sentence somewhere else before. No one had stopped him back then.
"No."
"...You don't have to look again. You've seen enough."
She slowly nodded.
"I should let you know that this might be one of the few times we can meet. If I meet with someone too often, I might cause them trouble. Especially if it's someone remarkable like you."
"Remarkable?"
"Are your referring to my abilities?"
"Yes." She nodded. "And I promised my current caretakers to live a lowkey life from now on."
"I understand. As I see it, our abilities are like two sides of the same coin. In that case, it's best not to interfere much."
"If you say so," Haruka said, "But perhaps you might figure it out what the vision means."
Haruka slid the envelope back to his side.
Noll looked down and took the envelope from the table.
"One more thing... Don't let your brother become part of the office for a while."
The branch office?
"Why?"
"It's for the better. You and your brother are well known here among certain circles. Some of your future associates will become quickly aware of your identities... Even more so if you and your brother cooperate."
"I'm already conscious of that."
"Revealing your identities too quickly will work against you in the long run."
"Is this related to the 'crows'?"
"...I can't say," Haruka said, and forced smile. "Anyway, thanks for stopping me. Sometimes it's too much to take."
Noll shrugged lightly.
"It's no problem."
They quietly left the room. The other booths had started to fill up. They could hear the songs and voices of the occupants from the door.
Noll waited for her outside the karaoke building while she paid.
When Haruka returned to his side, he asked: "Will we meet again?"
"Uh. I don't know."
"Surely you must be able to predict your own future."
She smiled uneasily.
"Do you really want to know?"
Noll nodded.
Her eyes closed.
"...There is someone who looks like you."
"Me or Gene?"
She pouted.
"...Oliver-san, I can barely tell the difference between you and your brother. Let alone when you're older."
"How much older?"
Haruka shrugged.
"Early twenties? It's an unreliable guess."
"I see."
"Well, at the very least you won't have to worry about your future looks..."
He resisted a powerful urge to roll his eyes.
Haruka turned into the direction of Kabukicho and paused.
"One more thing. The future is in a constant flux, everchanging... The unseen factors will surprise you. They may even come from the people you know very well." The girl stepped away from him. "Goodbye Doctor Davis."
Noll watched her vanish into the crowds.
Then he turned in the opposite direction and walked.
What Haruka said didn't bring him relief at all. It wasn't as if he completely trusted her, but if the new prediction were to come true...
No, Gene was still here. Still alive.
And.
The future is in a constant flux, everchanging.
Despite the words of comfort, Noll didn't want to return to the hotel right away; he needed more time to process this. He took a walk around the block. The air was still warm, but refreshing compared to the daytime in this sultry summer.
Noll stopped in the middle of a near empty street and closed his eyes.
The crows cawed on the roofs above him.
When he returned to the hotel room, the lights were on.
Gene sat at the edge of the bed with his back hunched over.
Something's wrong.
"Gene..."
His brother looked up at him with a hard expression.
"Where were you?"
"I took a walk," he said, poker-faced.
"A walk?" Gene huffed and glanced down at his side. "With that letter?"
Noll stared down at the envelope in his hand. His jaw tightened.
"Yes."
Gene walked up to Noll and glowered at him suspiciously.
"You met her, didn't you?"
Author's note
It's been almost three months since I updated. Thanks for your patience!
Haruka Tooyama is a main character of Until Death Do Us Part, a sci-fi action manga. It's not necessary to read it. For those who did read it: she is taken a year after the main events of the manga have transpired. I consider Haruka as the catalyst for the canon divergence, but on the whole she won't play a major role. She's merely another psychic in this universe.