Shi waited for the train to pull in to the station. Rise Kujikawa was returning to Inaba and it was her job to check that she was OK. She stood as the train appeared. The arrangement had been for her to meet the young idol and her manager at the Inaba station and drive them to the Kujikawa family store. As the train stopped Shi stepped forward. A young girl, barely older than 15 stepped towards her, followed by a man in a suit.
"Tawakemono-sensei?" The man asked.
"Yep. I'm Tawakemono Shi. It's nice to meet you miss Kujikawa." Shi said. Rise looked up at her briefly. "I'm going to escort you home and make sure you're OK. We at the Inaba police station are going to do everything in our power to ensure your break is peaceful." She added. She opened the car door to let Rise in whilst her manager loaded her bags into the boot. Shi climbed into the drivers seat and set off. As they drove, the manager turned on the radio.
"And our main story. The residents of Inaba are excited for the arrival of Idol Risette to the town. The town has recently been struck by a series of murders and after the decision by pathologist Tawakemono Shi to withold information, morale is at a low. The idol is taking a break from show business to..." Shi switched the radio over to her CDs, letting some of her favourite songs play through the speakers.
"What do they mean?" Rise asked from the back. Shi glanced in her rear view mirror.
"I chose not to let the public know some facts about the case. It was made in their best interest." She said. Rise looked back out the window.
"Is that really your decision to make?" She asked.
"It is with evidence." Shi countered. "But let's not talk about a case. Will you be attending Yasogami high during your stay?" She asked.
"Wait, you're not going to ask me all about being an idol?" Rise asked.
"Why the hell would I ask that? I am quite content with my job thank you. Being constantly in the public eye is not my thing. I don't know how you do it. Wearing that same mask to the masses." Shi said.
"Don't you wear one?" Rise countered.
"We all do. It's simply a question of does your mask change to match the situation." Shi said. Rise said nothing, remaining silent. Shi looked back at her through the rear view mirror before pulling up outside the Kujikawa store. "Here we are. Now, obviously this is big news to the residents, so we'll have a plain clothes detective guiding traffic away from you. I just want to do a quick check up on you, make sure you are OK then I will drop in every so often to check up on you." Shi explained.
"You're not staying to look after her?" Her manager said.
"I can't. I have other patients waiting." Shi said. "The dead may not complain but they don't deserve to be kept waiting." She added. She pulled out her med kit and walked in with Rise. After her bags were placed inside, Shi sat Rise on a chair. "Ok, this may feel cold." She said, picking up her stethoscope. She began her tests, listening to Rise's heart, breathing and testing her blood pressure and temperature. "Hmm, blood pressure is a little high but that may be due to stress. I will check it again later after you've settled."
"Is that everything?" The manager asked.
"Just that she rests up. I don't know if your previous physician told you this but you're close to exhaustion Rise. Another few days on the same schedule, it wouldn't end well." Shi said. She packed up her kit and stood. "I will drop by later. But here." She handed Rise a card with two numbers on. "The first number takes you directly through to my office, the other is my personal phone number. Just call if you need me." Shi said before heading out. Adachi was stood outside, preparing for moving traffic on.
"Hey Shi-chan, did she get here OK?" He asked. Shi nodded, walking over to him. "Ah. So where are you going now?"
"To the morgue. I have some autopsies I need to do from my time off. Then I'll be back." Shi said. "I'm trusting you to keep an eye on everything until I get back." She added with a smile. Adachi nodded before Shi headed off to the station.
Later that day, Shi returned to the shop, frowning at the crowd that was beginning to form outside. She pushed her way through whilst Adachi guided traffic away. Rise's grandmother smiled at her as she entered.
"Good day Tawakemono-sensei, what brings you here?" She asked. "Would you like some tofu?"
"I'll take some in a moment. I am actually here to stop those crowds from invading." Shi said. She turned and faced the crowd. "Ladies and Gentlemen, there is nothing to see here. Please move on from the store." She said.
"Yeah, there's only a old woman in there." A man said. The crowd dispersed, murmuring amongst one another. Shi turned and headed inside. Rise was stood with her back to the entrance. Before Shi could speak, someone entered. She turned to see Yu, Yosuke and Kanji standing inside.
"Tawakemono-sensei? Why are you here?" Kanji asked.
"I could ask you the same question." Shi said.
"We came for tofu." Yosuke said, answering a bit too quickly.
"Oh, can I help you?" Rise's grandmother asked, walking up to Yu and the others. The three of them looked at her in surprise.
"Wait, does that mean?" Yosuke began. Rise turned and looked at them.
"Oh, you came back Tawakemono-sensei. I want to talk to you. I will just serve these customers." She said. She walked over to them and gave them their order.
"We actually came for another reason. Have you heard of the midnight channel?" Yu asked Rise.
"The rumour about the TV showing you your soulmate? Yeah, why?" Rise replied.
"Do not bring that stupid rumour into this again." Shi suddenly said.
"But Rise-san maybe in danger Tawakemono-sensei." Yosuke said.
"The kidnapper may target her because she is famous. But you cannot scare her with stupid, childish rumours." Shi snapped.
"Why can't you accept it? It happened to you! You appeared on TV, then on the midnight channel then you were kidnapped!" Kanji snapped.
"Don't you dare drag what happened to me into this! There is no evidence to prove that they are linked. It may be purely coincidental." Shi said.
"Look, we just wanted to warn Rise-san about the kidnapper. We didn't mean to stress you out Tawakemono-sensei." Yu said, trying to defuse the situation.
"Uh-huh. Well, leave this to the police. This is what we're meant to do, you'll only get hurt." Shi said. They nodded and collected their tofu before leaving. Shi rolled her eyes and shook her head.
"Tawakemono-sensei, is what they said true? You were kidnapped?" Rise asked.
"I don't recall what happened." Shi said. "But yes, I was kidnapped. But don't worry, we'll do everything we can to protect you." She said. "Now, what was it you wanted to talk to me about?"
Later in the evening, Shi looked up as Dojima and Adachi spoke to Rise. She picked a piece of tofu out of the bag and began to eat it. As she did, Adachi and Dojima stepped back towards the store front. Adachi walked over to her.
"Can I try some?" He asked her whilst Dojima turned to Rise. Shi broke the piece she had been about to eat in half and gave some to him. Dojima glanced at them before returning to Rise.
Listen, I don't know if Tawakemono-sensei has told you but there have been some kidnappings recently." Dojima said.
"I know. Tawakemono-sensei told me. But she told me more after some boys came in and mentioned it. One of them had silver hair." Rise said.
Dojima looked at Shi who looked away briefly. "I see. I'll talk to them later." Dojima said. The three of them bowed slightly before leaving. "Shi-chan, did you see Yu talk to her?" He asked.
"I did. And I told them that if they get involved, they will end up on my autopsy table." Shi said. Dojima sighed, lighting a cigarette. "I think they're just trying to help us Dojima-san. I know they shouldn't but in a town this small, we're all tied to this case in one way or another." Shi added. Dojima shook his head.
"I know and you're probably right Shi-chan. But I will still talk to him. Adachi, I want you to keep an eye on Rise. I don't want to run the risk of her being kidnapped." Dojima said.
"Yes, sir." Adachi said.
"I'll drop by whenever I can to help him. Two pairs of eyes are better than one in cases like this." Shi said. Dojima nodded and bid them goodbye. After he left, Shi turned to Adachi. "Are you staying with me tonight? I can cook us some of that tofu." She asked him. Adachi nodded happily. She smiled and walked with him back to her home. But all thoughts of dinner were soon lost to caresses and whispered desires. As midnight ticked by, Shi inhaled Adachi's scent as his lips teased her neck, their bodies moving in perfect sync. And as night melted into the dawn, Shi slept curled up beside the one man who had slipped past her walls and embraced her heart. The one man who held her and had seen the person behind the mask.
But she couldn't shake the feeling that this love would be her downfall before the end of this case.