Hachi Academy, Miyabi's room
The five infiltrators are there, Ryoubi and Ryouna have explained to their friends their encounter with Ai.
And as they were expecting, they also think they've been busted, or rather they've never succeeded to hide their identity.
"Now, we're in serious trouble…"
Imu says in a very, very concerning voice.
Murasaki's face is buried into bebetan, no one can see it, but they know it must have an afraid expression.
Miyabi is clenching her teeths and fists of frustration.
"What should we do, Miyabi?"
Ryoubi asks.
Miyabi, by hearing that question, finally takes a huge breath to calm down, then, she responds.
"Let's lay low, they're probably playing with us, let's do as if nothing was wrong."
Miyabi explains.
But she's far to be stipud, she's aware they've already failed, but if they don't get the order to leave, they can't.
"Miyabi…"
Imu says by looking at Miyabi, sweetening, her three other friends do the same.
Why? Because no one is convinced by Miyabi's idea, they just can't act normal with such a deadflag on them.
"I'll tell master Suzune, she'll for sure know what to do…"
Miyabi explains, fher voice sounds defeatist.
Her friends looks way more convinced by that, Suzune always has good advice for her students.
"Can you leave me alone please? I need to think for a moment…"
Miyabi asks, she looks tired.
Even if her friends think they should stay together for safety, they accept.
A few hours later
In the school's hallway, Imu, because of a few seconds of distraction, has lost her comrades and is now alone.
"Those girls, I swear…"
She says with an angry face, but she manages to keep her voice low.
It's already been several minutes she's walking, minutes which each minute is making Imu more and more anxious.
But she's also worried, worried something already happened to her friends who she's looking for.
But Imu is too focused on her comrades, so she hasn't noticed yet a familiar presence is very close.
"Imu?"
A soft voice calls her, and makes even more anxious to the point she could explode.
"F-Fumiyo?"
She says, a little calmer it's not the worst person she could meet right now.
"Great, I was looking for you."
She says, immediately vanishing Imu's relief.
"Y-Yes?"
She asks, barely able to hide her fear.
Fumiyo looks sad, as if she was about to tell a very bad news, which doesn't calm Imu at all.
"We know what Ai told Ryoubi and Ryouna, and in case you weren't sure, yes, we know you're from Hebijo, we always knew."
Fumiyo claims, but without any evil or angry intentions in her voice.
Imu is surprised because of Fumiyo's honesty, she'd already known they weren't hidden anymore so, she doesn't really care that she knows about that.
But Imu is also confused because of something…
"I don't get it, why didn't you do anything if you knew?!"
Imu asks, raising her voice.
"Our master didn't want to, he was curious to see what you would do…"
Fumiyo answers, her tone of voice makes Imu think even she doesn't know her master's motivations.
Imu, in a fit of curiosity, asks something more:
"Is that true you attacked Gessen Academy?"
She asks, in a harsher voice.
Fumiyo looks even sadder, but still responds.
"Yes, even if I wasn't into the mission, Arisa, Yû, and Ai attacked the Gessen students, do not ask me why our master told them so, none of us actually know the reason."
Fumiyo admits.
Imu is confused, but suddenly remembers her mission.
Master Hamato is supposed to be acting strange, and those no-sense missions confirmed that.
Imu is nevertheless frustrated because Fumiyo's words finally makes her mission progress, and she doesn't want to be indebted toward her.
"Fumiyo, you probably figured it out, but we came to monitor your master's actions, and our hierarchy's suspicions seem to be well-founded."
Imu admits, she doesn't owe anything to Fumiyo anymore.
However, Fumiyo is acting weird, she looks angry.
"Imu, master Hamato is a great man, Do not say anything wrong about him."
She says, surprising Imu, who can't say anything in return.
Many long seconds pass before Imu is able to ask something.
"Why did you admit everything to me?"
She asks.
Fumiyo hesitates for a brief moment before responding.
"To give you a chance to make Murasaki leave this place, you're risking your lives by staying there, you cannot involve her."
Fumiyo says in a worried voice.
Imu is astonished by the amount of attention she has toward Murasaki whereas they're enemies. But she's also irritated because she doesn't want her to lecture her about how she should take care of her sister.
She's already involved, also, why are so concerned about Murasaki?"
Imu harsly asks.
Imu looks astonished by Imu's question, but her astonishment quickly disappears to make way for sorrow again.
"I…"
Fumiyo starts, but can't continue.
Imu is curious to know her answer, perhaps it's linked to the school.
But she's wrong…
'She reminds me of my little brother, Ataru…'
She admits, looking down with shame.
Imu is surprised, Murasaki did tell her about Fumiyo's dead brother, but nothing more.
"I don't get it…"
Imu says, expecting more details.
Fumiyo hesitated for a moment, but finally decided to resume.
"I come from a long lineage of evil shinobi, my parents were very strict regarding our shinobi education, for both me and Ataru."
Fumiyo starts, Imu can imagine very well what kind of education they got.
"I hate boasting, but I was very skilled, my parents were very proud of me, especially my mother, who was a Kagura."
Imu understands how Fumiyo has become that strong, with such a mother.
"But I cannot say the same thing for my little brother, Ataru, who had always been pretty weak and not very motivated to be a shinobi, even less an evil one… MY parents were very hard, not to say cruel, toward him…"
Fumiyo stops, looking even sadder.
"And I was too, while growing up, I started to see him as a shame and to be harsh toward him to make him become stronger, to the point he did not even have any social life. But his progression wasn't good enough…"
Imu immediately understands Fumiyo has regrets, but the story is far to be completed.
"When I was 15 years old, I was a shinobi student in an evil shinobi high-school in Europe. Ataru just went to middle-school, but he still was too weak to be an efficient shinobi, so my mother made a decision… She ordered me to leave in the forest to train him."
That decision makes sense for Imu, she knows shinobi who trained or who have been trained like that.
"Of course, I accepted, I really wanted to turn him into a real shinobi to avoid family shame, and curiously, he was motivated too… I was glad to see it, until he admitted to me something…"
Imu is curious, what Ataru could have done to make Fumiyo angry?
"He deeply loved me, more than our two parents reunited, and he just wanted to spend time with me, he did not actually care about training… It made me furious… So, I was incredibly hard on him, hitting with full force to make him tougher, not giving him food to punish him, calling him with very rude words to motivate him… But of course, it didn't work…"
Imu is almost shocked to learn it from Fumiyo, who is so soft and lovely.
"One day, he came to see me, smiling, and offered to teach me how to treat injuries, which is something a shinobi should be able to do according to him. He was right, but I only thought about strength, so I did not like this proposal…"
Proposal that makes sense for Imu, who does know how to treat injuries.
"So, during the daily training session, I was twice harsher than usual, I hit him, again, and again…"
Fumiyo stops, she's starting to sob.
"And… He fell… And he never got up…"
Imu freezes of terror by hearing those last words, which she cannot believe.
"You mean he was…"
Imu starts, unable to finish.
"Yes, he was… gone, my hits were fatal…"
Fumiyo claims, now crying.
"I realized I was a garbage, I even thought about killing myself, but I was not even brave enough to do that…"
Fumiyo's tone of voice perfectly shows the hatred she feels toward herself, and her remorse.
Imu understands, we only realize how precious something is when we lose it.
"I came back home to see my parents, his body in my arms. My father was pretty sad… But my mother only laughed at him, and even told my father she still can do another child, hoping it won't be "failed"...
Fumiyo's sorrow seems to turn into hatred.
"I had never felt that furious in my entire life… And before even noticing it… My hand had already stabbed my mother's torsen, right in her heart…"
Imu is shocked, not only by Fumiyo's act, but also because she managed to kill a Kagura that easily.
"The worst thing is, when I looked into her eyes, she did not even look angry or shocked, but proud of my abilities…"
Fumiyo said, concluding her story.
Imu is speechless, she just discovered a completely different aspect of Fumiyo she would have never guessed.
The silent reigns over this place for minutes, the only thing that has changed is Fumiyo stopped crying.
"H-Hey, Fumiyo…"
Imu starts, breaking the silence.
"Yes?"
Fumiyo reacts, without looking at Imu.
"Why weren't you with your team during the assault at Gessen?"
Imu asks.
Fumiyo wasn't expecting her to ask that, she feels uncomfortable.
"I… Master Hamato has given me permission, I don't have to participate in missions or training. But, I would rather not speak about it… I am leaving…"
Fumiyo answers, turning back and starting to leave.
Imu wasn't expecting such a reaction, but she rather not insist and leaves her be, even if she's very curious about the reason Hamato allows her to stop shinobi activities, especially since she's still a shinobi student.
One hour later, Fumiyo's apartment
The young dark-haired woman is at home now, and not alone.
"Ah, honey, was your day well?"
A young man as old as Fumiyo asks, slowly coming close to her.
"Yes, and you, Kenzo?"
Fumiyo asks with a cheerful smile.
Kenzo has joined Fumiyo, and gives Fumiyo a soft kiss before responding.
"Very well, thanks… Nothing happened at your dojo?"
Kenzo asks, since he's just a normal citizen, he doesn't know anything about his girlfriend's life, he believes she's just a martial art teacher.
"No, nothing, do not worry about it…"
Fumiyo answers, smiling, but with sorrowful eyes.
"Fumiyo… Something happened, am I wrong?"
Kenzo asks, his look is insistent but full of affection.
Fumiyo is hesitating, she can't talk about her conversation with Imu, but another event that happened this morning can explain her mood.
"Ryûnosuke…"
She says in a sad tone of voice.
"Oh shit… I'm sorry…"
Kenzo says, regretting his insistence.
But Fumiyo doesn't blame him, she just wants to be sure about something.
"Kenzo, can you make a promise for me, please?"
Fumiyo asks.
"Sure."
Kenzo immediately responds.
"Promise me that, if something happens to it, you will never abandon it…"
Fumiyo asks.
"I promise, and you, promise you'll look after both of you…"
Kenzo asks, softly petting Fumiyo's belly.
"I promise."