PART III. "Born to Die."

"I was so confused as a little child—tried to take what I could get, scared that I couldn't find all the answers, honey."

— Elizabeth Woolridge Grant.

Kurama.

She was determined to see me home and wouldn't tell me why. I hadn't been the one in danger at the hospital, so I would have expected her to trail Yusuke home. She was surprisingly quiet during the walk, as I expected she would have asked about everyone's territories and what they could do. Instead, she opened her mouth and closed it within the same second multiple times, words lingering in her throat.

As our shoes scuffed the concrete on our way up to my front door, she didn't bother asking about territories or what happened in the hospital. That wasn't the kind of question that would be hard for her to spit out with ease. I didn't think there was such a question; my interest was piqued.

"Shouldn't you be on your way home?" I looked down to her before pulling my keys out. I knew if I spoke first, she'd try harder to change the subject in reply.

Her upper lip twitched as she glanced up to me sheepishly. "I'm going to ask you something and I'm… like I'm not trying to be rude or anything…"

This was a rare sight, one I truly relished. Usually she just asked without remorse.

I smiled down to her, trying to make the atmosphere easier for her as I pondered on what could have her so cautious.

"Like, I know you're, well… not… you know." Her eyes slanted away to concrete as she inhaled a shaky breath. "And I was wondering what you looked like." And her eyes flicked up to me. "Before this."

I paused, actually surprised. After witnessing my talent with plants, that leap up to the hospital roof was what reeled her imagination?

"It's whatever, you don't have to tell me," she said hastily, forcing a small, apologetic smile. "Just forget it."

Whatever the reason, it caused her to hesitate, be considerate.

"I was noticeably otherworldly, both when I was a spirit and when I finally took a more human form," I replied quietly, calming her anxiety. "Over seven feet tall. Long, silver hair. Ears and a tail, even."

Brows furrowed, her eyes widened as she tried placing the main descriptions together. We stood in silence on the porch as the sun touched the horizon, bathing us in a light gold.

The lock next to us clicked, and the door opened to reveal my mother. "I knew I heard voices on the other side. Did you two have fun?"

Aiko was the first to respond. "Yeah, it was a real… adventure!"

She pulled the door open wider before stepping outside on the porch.

"That's great," she said, placing her hand on my shoulder. "I do need your advice before you head off, Aiko."

"Advice?" we asked at the same time. Aiko then continued. "But I really need to be headed home. I need to get home before it's too dark."

Mother nodded. "Oh, it'll only take a moment. You could say it's some simple fashion advice."

And with that, the girl practically sprinted into the house to take off her shoes. "Oh, Shiori, you've called upon the right person!"

My mother patted my shoulder, drawing my attention to her. As she gave me a small wink, I craned my neck around to see down the foyer's hallway to the kitchen. Hatanaka was here.

In the kitchen, we sat around the chestnut wood. Aiko hovered over the table, hands planted next to the magazines and brochures as she eyed them.

"Wait a second…" she gasped at the magazine pages my mother was showing her. "These are… wedding decorations?!"

Mother and Hatanaka, who sat across from the two of us, nodded simply.

"You never…" She stared blankly at my mother, eyed Hatanaka, and then glared at me. "Nobody said anything! Not even a clue was dropped. Not once did I hear a phone call to relatives or see any dates marked on calendars… No cards, no—"

"Well, it wasn't intentional to keep you in the dark," Mother said with a small smile, gesturing Aiko to sit. "Very few people know about it, about Kazuya and me dating too. Less than ten people total between our friends, excluding our families and you."

"But…" she paused and sat back in her seat, eyeing them warily. "Why?"

Hatanaka laughed. "It's because we work together—more precisely, she works under me."

"Ah." Aiko, mouth wide in understanding, nodded. "I get it. You don't want any praise or promotion Shiori receives to be seen as undeserved because you're her boss."

He nodded. "Especially since she's been climbing the ranks of the corporation since she's returned from the hospital. We've always agreed to keep our relationship quiet."

"To save face." Aiko nodded. "That's why I never heard about him before the trip to the hospital?"

Mother nodded. "We've been dating for… my, since Shuichi was twelve."

"Oh, don't think twice about it," Hatanaka said. "We made sure to keep it under tight wraps, especially in public."

"So then..." She took the magazines and looked at the center pieces my mother was asking about. "If you take his last name…"

"Luckily, our last names aren't displayed in the office," Mother laughed in relief as Aiko nodded and returned her attention to the magazines. "Besides, I've thought of transferring departments to communications. I did receive my bachelors in that after all, feels more right to work there than in accounting."

"That's always a good back-up plan if rumors start…" Aiko sifted through the pages, eyeing the colors and designs of the centerpiece. "Something for the main table?"

Mother nodded before resting her chin in her hand, leaning forward to see Aiko's decision.

"Then this one." Aiko pushed the magazine to my mother, who eyed it, scrutinized it. "Especially if you're doing all white for the reception. The colors will blend easily and it'll give you freedom for any other color you want to put in the room to pop."

"That was my second choice," Mother responded. "You sure you don't like the first? This one?"

"I heard you placed top of your class again, Shu-kun," Hatanaka said, drawing my attention from the small brunette as she took another look at the first choice.

"Oh, it's nothing," I said quickly, hoping Aiko was too busy to overhear us. "How's Shuuichi doing so far?"

"He's aiming for Tenou High," Hatanaka replied. "So he's been looking for certain extracurricular activities."

"That poor soul," Aiko gasped. "That tacky blonde uniform is an atrocity and nobody deserves to be put through that."

My mother began laughing loudly, covering her mouth. "I said the same thing!"

The two of them screamed with laughter, and Hatanaka and I sighed, giving each other tired smiles.

"No, but that's amazing he's aiming for Tenou!" Aiko quickly covered up the joke. "I heard their swimming and volleyball teams are amazing."

"He's trying to join a sports team when he should be working on his pre-calculus!" he said. "I'm all for extracurricular activities but math was never his strong point. He needs to focus on his grades too. Being good at a sport isn't likely to get you through life."

"Pre-calculus was so much worse than calculus," she sighed. "I didn't believe anyone in Kino Cram when they told me calculus would be easier, but in a way they were right. The algebra is horrid but the calculus theories are so much easier. Pre-calculus has all sorts of aspects, like it reintroduces trig and even gets into physics and it's just… ugh."

"You already went through it?" he asked. "He needs a kick in the rear to get help with this."

Brown eyes flickered to me, and as she turned to face Hatanaka I saw the glimpse of a scheming smile.

"I'm hoping to go to the library tomorrow," she said. "I have some school work I need to get ahead on. It'd be no trouble if you wanted to drop him off."

"Are you going tomorrow, too, Shuichi?" Mother asked, and Aiko looked to me with a quick glance and nod.

"I suppose I am."

"Meiou's number one student and socialite both under one roof with plenty of books!" Aiko laughed. "Perfect time to study."

"Ah, I wouldn't want to impose that on you." Hatanaka waved dismissively.

"No, I think it'd be nice," I cut in.

She knew she couldn't convince her parents without some sort of obligation—one that would benefit her, such as a "study group." Bringing another name in, along with offering to let her younger brother tag along, would increase her chances of being let out of the house a third day in a row.

"Yeah, I may need to bring my little brother, though," she said, just as I expected.

"Oh, how has he been?" Mother asked. "Shuichi told me he's been going to a research facility?"

"Oh my, what a big mouth he has." Aiko flashed me a fake smile.

"Nothing compared to yours, I assure you." I returned the smile as she looked to my mother.

"Is it the one at the local children's hospital?" Hatanaka asked.

She nodded. "Yeah, they've done a lot of blood and physical tests with him and the rest of the kids to see if there was anything different about them, and compared them to a control group."

"Oh, was he one of the kids that dropped during the gas leaks?" Hatanaka gasped, adjusting his glasses.

"Yeah, but none of the kids were much different from the control group. Like, nothing that would raise an answer," she replied. "Luckily for a lot of kids, they ran tests that the families otherwise couldn't afford, and the doctors caught a lot of issues and diseases early."

"Is Minoru okay?" Mother asked hastily as the teapot whistled.

"He's fine, actually," Aiko reassured her as she got up to serve tea. "More than fine… eventually they ran out of physical and psychological tests to run and decided to try seemingly unrelated tests in desperation, even though they knew it wouldn't matter. They did an IQ test a few weeks ago."

Eventually the research would be dropped and labeled a mystery as they would find nothing similar between the group of kids.

"How did he do?" Mother asked excitedly as she served everyone warm cups of tea.

Aiko laughed nervously, wrapping her fingers around the cup slowly. "He scored a hundred and thirty."

"How old is he?!" Hatanaka balked.

"He's in grade school!" she laughed, but it sounded scared. "Like… if he's not watching Saburomaru! The Great Detective! he's watching some documentary. If he's not reading comics he's looking through my old textbooks…"

"That's amazing! Oh, my, Aiko. He has so much potential—colleges scout for students like him!" Mother clasped her hands together, smiling bright. "Think of how he'll be by your age!"

"His social skills are so subpar though, like he acts younger than he is," she laughed dryly, staring down into her cup. "And, like, he's popular because he was one of the kids that dropped but he only has two real friends. All he really has are his books and shows."

"An academic scholarship!" Hatanaka cheered. "If he stays on track, he could get a full ride anywhere."

"Yeah… that'd be great." She took a sip from her cup. "That's what we're hoping for… a scholarship for a full ride to a prestigious college that hundreds of thousands of other geniuses are applying for."

There was a brief air of silence before the subject was adjusted.

"...Either of you thought about where you want to go for college?" Hatanaka asked. "It's your second year."

"I'm still deciding," she replied quickly, pushing Hatanaka's eyes on me.

"As am I," I said.

"I should get going. I have a curfew." She stood up and hiked her purse over her shoulder before Hatanaka could open his mouth. "The tea was delicious, Shiori. Thanks." She then nodded to Hatanaka. "It was nice to see you again, Hatanaka."

Mother checked the watch on her wrist as Hatanaka looked to the window, finding the setting sun to be just a sliver on the horizon now. The sky above was dark, blending into what little light was left in the sky.

"Oh, you did say you had to be back before dark, didn't you? Do you want me to drive you?" Mother offered.

"No!" she said quickly and then laughed again. "It's fine. I'll make it back in time." She then turned to me. "Uh, I was out all weekend so I'll just call you if my dad doesn't let me go to the library. Would you mind telling Hatanaka?"

"Here," Hatanaka said, pulling a pen out of his shirt pocket. He reached for a small notepad Mother had used for decoration notes and ripped off a clean sheet. "Here's my number. Just feel free to call when you know you can or can't go!"

She took the number and bowed to Mother and Hatanaka. "Thanks for having me over!"

She left the house so fast it left my mother and her fiancé stunned, not even giving them a chance to get up from their seats to usher her out.

"Did… we say something wrong?" Mother asked me, to which I shook my head.

"Her father is just mad at her for staying out all weekend, Mother," I reassured her. "Don't worry; she just had to be home."

"Shame, I didn't get to show her this." Hatanaka dug in his slacks' pocket, pulling out a creased, folded piece of notebook paper. "Shiori mentioned she'd probably be over today so I brought this."

I took the paper and noted the dirty shoe prints before unfolding it. It was a sketch of Mother and Hatanaka in the hospital. My mother lay in the hospital bed, smiling to Hatanaka as he rubbed the back of his neck and looked down at the hospital sheets sheepishly.

It was done in pencil, and the lead was smudged and faded around the lines as it was old. There were shoe prints on the inside as well, one planted directly atop the couple.

"I thought it'd be a nice conversation starter with her," he said. "Remind her of this and compliment her on it. She draws so well."

I never saw this drawing, but I knew when it was created. She never boasted about her art the way she did when she would pass a test, it was almost sad to see her shove it aside as a hobby when she could recreate another person so thoroughly in just a rough sketch.

If they had brought up the subject of her art instead of college then she'd definitely be here still.

"Ah, also, Shuichi," Mother said, dragging my attention from her penciled face to her flesh. "Would you mind skipping club and cram on Monday? Kazuya is headed out to Osaka for an important business meeting soon to discuss a cooperative marketing agreement, so we were thinking of having a good luck dinner celebration."

I set the drawing in the middle of the table. "Of course."

Their conversation returned to one of work and their wedding. Their words buzzed into the background as I stared into the cup of steaming green tea. I wondered how I would be able to disrupt their lives—how Aiko would go about it.

I trusted her to find a way; I had no doubt she would come through. But that didn't mean I wouldn't find a way to convince them to go to the States.

Aiko.

Hirogawa didn't ask much about what I did at the mansion, he seemed to think the fact I was alive was good enough. I spent most of my shift on the register, staring at my index finger when I wasn't ringing someone up. I actually missed the tacky, gaudy ring.

I was totally trigger-happy wearing that thing. The idea that I could do what Yu did on a regular basis, the idea I could grow spiritually like that was… exciting. I almost wished I had a ring of my own, or something cuter… not that I'd ever need to use it.

Minoru came in handy as I expected. After I offered to take him to the library where he could read anything he wanted while I was there, he hassled my dad to take him. Of course, my father wasn't in the mood to spend time at a library.

I told my father that I wanted to go to a study group. He was far from convinced, which lead to Minoru taking on a new role in the family as my dad dropped us off at the local library after my nine to five shift.

Minoru wasn't just a little brother anymore; he was a punk ass snitch.

I knew it would turn to this, but I didn't know just how seriously Minoru would take his new role.

My dad's spy, there to watch over me and make sure I was doing school work and not goofing off like the douchebag he thought I was. The consequences of Minoru covering for me weighed more greatly than the consequences of snitching on me.

I would beat Minoru's ass into the twenty-first century but my dad's anger and post-beat down passive aggression was enough to make the most egotistical person hate themselves.

Luckily, it looked like I was doing a project of some sort, and Hatanaka's son asking me to for help on schoolwork only gave the impression that I was actually putting my brain to use for school.

I met Hatanaka, Shuuichi, before, but we never really talked. We met just as I was leaving the Minamino household one late winter day.

When addressing Kurama, he was careful with his words though definitely still friendly, but when addressing me he was more casual. I couldn't help but wonder how cold Kurama was to the poor boy when their parents started dating. I remembered how distant he was with me and I figured this boy was no exception to his cold shoulder.

Twenty minutes into the "study session", Minoru quit watching me like a hawk. He also stopped with the obnoxious "Hey, that doesn't sound like studying! I'm telling dad!" once he became more invested in his comic.

A myriad of books were strewn across the table, and it was really my mess. Shuuichi sat next to me, munching on a box of strawberry Pocky I shoplifted as he worked on his pre-calculus. Among the books were two shopping bags worth of snacks I lifted from the market. Everyone was eating something, even Kurama—hell, even me.

I shoved the last forkful of Chicken Caesar Salad in my mouth as I skimmed through the open book in front of me. Found it.

"Makihara Nature Conservation Area." I slid the book across the table to Kurama.

He had his head rested on his hand, leisurely reading another book—one much smaller than mine.

"Are you even looking?" I asked, covering my full mouth with my free hand.

"Hm?" He looked up from his text slowly, giving me a small, innocent smile that really meant he wasn't innocent at all.

"You're not even looking," I said, baffled. "What have you been doing all this time?"

He reached into the small can of roasted wasabi peas. "Reading about the features of Makihara's Nature Conservation."

"Couldn't throw me a hint that you already knew?"

"You're doing so well, though," he replied simply.

I was ready to yank that ponytail right off his head…

"Don't patronize me."

"The area spans two thousand acres," he said.

I stared blankly at him.

"Shuichi, Shuichi!" Minoru whispered to the red-head he sat next to. "Look!"

He leaned over to see what my brother wanted, letting his ponytail brush over his shoulder as he read the comic panels quickly. Chewing the roasted wasabi peas, he hummed patiently, feigning interest in Minoru's excitement. *

"Hojo," Shuuichi whispered to me and I turned to him, eyes unable to drag away from the book I was staring at until the last second. "I forgot what you said about finding the period. I'm going to fail when we get to this in class."

Negative three cosine two pi x minus two…

"Uh…" I whispered as I stared down at the equation, trying to remember my pre-calculus year. I dragged my fingers through my hair, pulling it over my shoulder. "Okay… Okay! Remember that it's always two pi over whatever's with x or theta."

He stared down at his equation. "So it is one!"

"It's two pi x…" I reread the equation again and nodded. "Yeah. That should be one. You're doing fine. You'll be fine when you get here in class."

"It was so simple an answer I thought I got it wrong," he laughed. I paused, hoping I wasn't wrong.

"Sis! Sis!" Minoru whispered across the table. "Look!"

I waved him off, ignoring him. "If it's part of the comic then I don't care right now. You can show me later."

"You can look, I won't tell dad you're not studying," he whined, voice raising.

"Quiet!" I hissed. "And it's not that. I just don't care about whatever comic you're reading."

He huffed and returned his attention to the book.

Kurama flipped the page of his book leisurely as I shoved through my small stacked collection. There were two caves in Makihara Nature Conservation Area. Irima and Musashi.

Both were so long, winding, and deep, that neither of them were fully explored. Due to the nature and natural design of each cave, researchers had to be careful and tedious, so surveying has taken years.

"What have you found so far?" I asked.

"Makihara Nature Conservation Area is also home to a very rare flower," he replied simply.

Are you fucking kidding me, Kurama?

I leaned over the table, whispering. "If you're not here to patronize me, then why?"

He glanced up to me, smile turning innocent to wry instantly. "Because if I let you get started and on track, you'll find the answer."

"…Making me do the grunt work."

He shook his head with a small laugh. "No."

I was baffled. He was so relaxed. From his clothing—light sweater with the sleeves rolled up casually—to his posture—elbow on the table, face rested in hand. And there I was with books and maps strewn around me, covering every visible inch of the library's table. My headband, keeping my hair out of my face, was threatening to fall off with how I bent over books to read, and my eyes were beginning to hurt. My head was already pounding and we were only a little over a half hour in.

"There are two caves in the area," I said quietly, breathing through gritted teeth to calm my irritation. "Irima and Musashi."

"Which do you think it resides in?" he asked simply, flipping to the next page. "Here they are."

He set the book down in front of me, and I dragged mine next to it. I scanned the information the two books held, which were relatively the same between the authors.

"Something that would deter people from researching it at this time, or make the trek down into the depths of the cave unappealing," Kurama said quietly.

"Both of them still haven't been fully explored," I said, and he nodded.

Maybe Kaito was right… maybe they weren't in the caves… but then, how else could they get underground if not in a cave? Maybe some sewer-line? Maybe there was another cave entrance on the other side of Mushiyori—Kurama did mention it spanned over two thousand acres.

Sewer line was unrealistic but… right now the caves seemed unrealistic too.

"Which means they're both enticing for researchers. Then we should think more of…" He then paused. His eyes shifted to his right, towards the staircase that led to the first floor, and then he stood. "I am not here."

What? Who could it be?

I eyed the staircase across the floor, worried it would be the spawn of Satan herself as she was the only one who could clear him from a room. I'd avoid anyone who wanted to ship me to Makai. Better safe than sorry.

Luckily it was only Natsume's dog: Fukui, Hitomi.

I turned to the two boys that were left in my company.

"Shuichi doesn't like her, so don't say he's here." The two boys nodded, attention kept on their books. I leaned towards Minoru and hissed. "I mean it."

"Okay!" Minoru whined, somehow still remembering to stay quiet.

I eyed him briefly before turning back to see the ebony-haired Rapunzel. She didn't see me as she walked down the open aisle, looking at the directory plaques. It wasn't until she felt someone staring her down that she noticed me. She was slightly surprised. Her eyebrows sprung up under her fringe and her eyes widened briefly.

Pushing her long hair off her shoulder, it fluttered in the wind she created as she made her way to me.

"Didn't think I'd ever see you in a library," she noted, stepping up to our table. She carried a sort of sad, dry... cold air with her.

"I could say the same about you." I stood up from my seat, eyeing her features.

Compared to her atmosphere, she looked warm with her face painted in earth-tones. She was cozy in her thick jacket and denim jeans.

"Babysitting?" She nodded to the boys behind me.

"Kind of," I said with a shrug. "I'm just doing research for… an ecology project. Why did you come down from Tohoku?"

"I'm visiting my father for the weekend, and decided I could hang out here while I waited for him since he just transferred planes in Hokkaido. I have a psychology paper to write—how we see and treat the environment, and why. Figured I could find some titles here."

Kurama had surely figured this out by now but I was still left in the dark. "Natsume here?"

She rolled her eyes and shook her head slowly before eyeing the books behind me. "No. She'll be here in a couple of days. We're going on a trip."

I repressed a scoff.

Another sick tournament? I wanted to ask, but instead, I noticed her eye movement. I hesitated as she read the print behind me, and I knew her vision was fine as it was. It didn't help the title of the page was in large, bold letters.

"Shuuichi, why don't you take Minoru to the bathroom?" I asked, eyes locked on Fukui.

Shuuichi hesitated behind me while Minoru complained. "I don't have to go pee!"

Fukui's face tensed as she began piecing information together. I searched her face, watching the cogs in her mind turn.

"We're going to be here a while," I replied calmly.

Minoru grumbled and Shuuichi did as I asked, taking the kid by the hand and leading him down the aisle. I could feel Shuuichi's eyes on me, wary that I didn't like her either. Minoru surprisingly didn't remark how he'd tell on me to dad.

I trusted she waited until they were out of sight to whisper. "Taken a sudden interest in Mushiyori, huh?"

My arms found their way across my chest. "Yup."

"How convenient."

I wasn't surprised Border Patrol was notified. In fact, I shouldn't be keeping this a secret from her, should I? Couldn't she help? Maybe they were doing their own separate research?

"Does Reikai know you're working on this?" she asked.

"No, I volunteered to help with the book work while the detective is on foot in the city. Is Border Patrol doing anything?"

"Border Patrol is awaiting information." She shrugged. "I guess you're the one who will be gathering it. So no. They won't do anything until you turn information in and it's validated."

I paused, noticing her word. "'They'? I thought you were part of Reikai."

"I am but…" she hesitated, choosing her diction wisely. "I only have certain clearances with Border Patrol."

"Unlike Natsume?"

She walked next to me, stopping at the edge of the table and looking at the two books that lay open. Maybe I shouldn't have said anything. What if she goes back to Tohoku and tells Natsume what we found and then she rushes down there causing trouble?

Wouldn't it be better for Border Patrol to take care of this, though? Why was it Yu's and everyone else's responsibility? Where was the glorious Special Defense Force that had such big problems to handle?

Was an apocalypse not a big problem?

Still, Yu was just as invested as anyone else at this point. It almost felt wrong to hand off information to Border Patrol and let them take over when I knew Yu wanted to be the one to handle this.

"Are you going to tell Natsume what we have so far?" I asked.

She shifted next to me, leaning her weight on one leg. "You're going to send this in to Reikai, right?"

"Yeah, that's the point."

"Then no."

Was she lying? Why would she lie?

I eyed her, suspicion more than clear on my features as she stared back, expressionless. "Don't trust me?"

"Trust you as much as I do any man."

She blinked once, then twice, before turning her eyes back to the thick book that showed Irima Cave's picture.

"It'd be pointless for me to tell her unfinished information, something that hasn't been run by and validated by officials," she said, fingers leisurely tracing the edge of the book. "That could send us on a wild goose chase if what you find is wrong."

It sounded reasonable enough but I still couldn't shake the feeling of distrust. "I don't want Natsume to know I'm working on this."

"The last thing I'm going to do is bring your name up to her. I hear your name enough from her as it is."

I could feel the corner of my lips tugging up. Even now I was still in her head. "Good or bad?"

She shrugged, pinched the page and lifted it, and quickly scanned the next. "I'd take anything out of her mouth to be bad no matter how good her intentions."

"One more question." Best to ask someone whose father just opened a gigantic building that went underground, right?

She grunted, laying the page back where it was.

"Does anything span underneath Mushiyori?"

Her head whipped around, and when her gaze settled on me it turned into a heavy stare.

My eyebrow rose with interest. "I take it something does?"

Her features softened, relaxed. "No."

"Quite a reaction for 'no'."

"Because I thought you were on to something," she replied, letting the page fall back in place. "Mushiyori's only underground systems are the sewers and train, and potential tunnels of the caves that haven't been mapped."

"Yeah, sewer lines aren't big enough to open a tunnel that magnitude, huh…" I mumbled to myself at the information. I turned to the book again, skimming through the text. "Someone would have seen a portal when they passed by in a train…"

I trailed off, still upset that it may not be in the cave. It had to be, that was all that was left… but Kaito's words still sulked in the back of my mind.

"Actually, I should just wait at the airport," she said suddenly, and I watched her hike the strap of her purse tighter on her shoulder.

I nodded, not having much to say anyway. I wanted to ask if I could trust her not to say anything, but if she was as I remembered her—an asshole—then she just might rat the information to Natsume out of spite.

She turned and began walking away.

"Travel safe," I bid farewell, albeit forced.

Light-footed steps stopped, her back still facing me. After a second, she spoke. "I won't tell her."

"No offense." All offense. "But I'm not keen on trusting your word."

"I'd rather her find out where the tunnel is last-minute than tell her you have leads, right or wrong."

My brows practically touched in the midst of my confusion. I shouldn't have said anything, but I wanted to be sure.

"The later you tell her, the more likely she is to rush down when the tunnel is about to open, when more youkai are let loose. You could be maimed or killed, you know."

"I kind of want it that way." She shifted, turning slightly on one foot to glance over her shoulder, bringing a thick atmosphere with her. The same coldness wafted around her, traveled towards me, brushing my cheeks and neck as it sauntered by. "We deserve to die."

She turned away from me and continued her leave, letting the heaviness sit with me. I stayed put, leaning on the edge of the table as Kurama appeared behind me, having exited his hiding spot among the many aisles the moment she stepped down the stairs out of sight.

I waited to speak, unsure. "'We' as in her, Natsume, and Hayashi?"

And he immediately entered with the follow-up question. "Or 'we' as in humanity?"

The two of us stood in silence, unsure of how to take her comment. Was she part of the tunnel scheme?

"No, she just hates herself," I whispered to him, knowing he was analyzing her words as I was. "Natsume has a way of doing that to you."

I could only wonder how living with Natsume out in Tohoku was for her.

"Are you guys done talking?" Shuuichi reappeared, peaking past the bookshelf.

"Did you hear what we talked about?" I asked, looking over my shoulder.

He shook his head, letting go of Minoru's hand so the younger boy could walk back to the table and sit down. "I saw her leaving down the main aisle and thought it was fine to come back."

"Yeah, we're done."

Shuuichi took his seat as Kurama rounded the table, handing me another book along the way. I noticed Minoru seemed upset, setting his comic book on the table with a sort of gentleness when he usually could be seen slapping it on the table as he plopped in his chair.

"Why don't you like her, Shuichi?" Shuuichi asked, prompting Kurama's eyes to land on him, and then briefly to me. "She's really pretty and looks nice. Is she mean?"

I shrugged.

The red-head then took his seat, giving a strange, simple smile. "I'd just rather not be around her at all."

It wasn't necessarily Fukui but the fact she was associated with Natsume.

Shuuichi's brows furrowed but he shrugged to himself and then turned back to his pre-calculus booklet.

"So it has to be a cave," I said, whispering hastily. "Sewer-lines are too small, someone would notice it going by in a train…"

"Of course it's in a cave," he said calmly. "You were right the first time."

"Yeah, but… what Kaito said is right. It's not smart to plant something there of all places."

"He may be right." He tapped the open book and drew my attention to the pages once more. "But that doesn't mean you're wrong."

My eyes traveled up his arm to his face, patient and calm. He was never patronizing me; he trusted me to do what I could. He trusted I'd find the right answer.

I grabbed the first open book and read quietly, summarizing the information after each paragraph.

Musashi cave. The entrance was a long drop of roughly two kilometers before hitting flatland. Once one hit flatland, the cave twisted and turned in its path. The cave was riddled with stalagmites and stalactites and other small openings on the ground that could lead to small tunnels used by animals. **

All the technical stuff wasn't doing much for me, but I had to take it into consideration.

I moved to Irima, scanning through the details. Sloped walkway, easy access, few stalagmites or stalactites, many dangerously sloped tunnels, a river…

"If we're talking about practicality, then weaving through serious rock formations would be a hassle," Kurama said, having been reading my text upside down.

"But if we wanted security then the more rock formations, the harder it'll be for people to stumble upon their tunnel…" I sighed before leaning on the table in frustration.

"That drop in Musashi isn't convenient if he has humans like the doctor working for him," he noted.

"What else is there besides technical stuff?" I grumbled. "Surely that can't be all there is to picking a cave."

"It must also be related to the season," he said, cupping his chin pensively as he brought up an old point. "One of them must not be interesting enough in order to keep researchers away for a season."

"Schools will still go for field trips, like middle and high school," I mumbled the old counter, standing up. "I'm going to see if there's any other text on them."

He nodded in acknowledgement and I passed by the aisles. I didn't feel like scanning through titles anymore, my head was beginning to really hurt. I'd ask the librarian.

Heading to the woman behind the counter on the first floor, I waited patiently for her to acknowledge me as she shuffled through some obscure paperwork and index cards. I watched lazily as small strands of salt and pepper colored hair loosened and fell from her bun until she finally looked up at me with small, beady eyes.

"Oh, hello, dear," she said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. I noticed her wrinkled hands. "What can I help you with?"

"Do you have anything on the Musashi and Irima caves in Mushiyori?" I asked.

"Hm…" She tapped her full lips with her index finger and then went to get up. As her hands gripped the armrest of her office chair, she paused. "Oh, for Irima, would you like books or periodicals?"

Periodical?!

"Newspaper, please," I replied and waited patiently as she wrote down the information I needed.

She handed me a small sheet of notepad paper.

She then got up to search the index cards for Musashi, but I stopped her before she could walk even two steps. "It's fine, I'll be back for Musashi if these periodicals don't work out."

"But those are just ones I remembered just off the top of my head," she called after me as I jogged away. "You sure you don't want more…?"

I didn't think much of her comment as I dug through the microfiche machine, but what I saw made absolute sense. As I hurriedly carried the hard copies to our table, controlling myself from running, Kurama's gaze lifted from his book to me.

The corners of his lips tugged upwards, telling me we both found something.

"You first!" I smiled before running into the corner of the table and wincing.

He waited patiently for me to stop groaning in pain to tell me. Picking up a new book he spent his time reading leisurely, he flipped to a certain page.

"Surveying and cartography dates are schedule by landowners, the Makihara's. Updates in the deep tunnels are then recorded for public record—" He gestured the book to me before setting it down. "By the same group of researchers. So the tunnel had to have begun after their latest survey. From the most recent survey that's been published, no new organisms, aquatic or terrestrial, were recorded."

He picked up another book, referencing another point, and I leaned in close to skim through the text. I found a list of plant names italicized.

"But from what's been recorded, I've found that any noteworthy plants need a damper, warmer climate to thrive and flower, especially what's been found closer to the entrance."

The summer.

"So really, it has nothing interesting until May, just like you thought," I mumbled. "That's another month away."

"Even then, students years one through twelve will still attend a field trip to a cave like this—even in the colder weather," he said, setting the book down next to the other. "Just because the same organisms and plants are nothing new to a scientist doesn't mean they can't be interesting to eager youth. And, unless you've found something, Musashi still hasn't been taken off the table."

I smiled down to Kurama, unable to keep it from being smugly proud. "It's definitely off the table now."

He remained quiet, wearing an expectant smile as I took the newspaper hard copies out from under my arm. I slapped the first one down in front of him and grinned.

"Irima's Cave is known for suicides!"

He picked up the hard copy, skimming it. "So you're saying…"

"It's taboo to go to a site like that," I whispered, leaning towards him. "You don't bring kids to a site like this. Look. Students from year two to year twelve, and then even kids in higher education, won't step near the place. Hell, I've even found a testimony saying delinquents don't step foot near it."

I set the hard copies on the table and flipped for the most recent one, dated one year ago. I found the paragraph I was looking for after less than a minute of skimming. Shuuichi's voice could be heard behind us in quiet whispers.

"Miyagi, Junko, a year nine student at Tsukino Public Junior High commented on the recent suicide at Irima cave," I read aloud in a whisper. I read along with him in my head.

She said upon interview, "A lot of us are scared of that cave so this news isn't surprising. Some people even say it's haunted, cursed. My parents, who have lived here all their lives, mentioned that they can count on both their hands combined the amount of suicides they've heard about in Irima Cave. My teacher scheduled our geology field trip to a cave in another city because the cave unnerves even him."

"And she's not the only student," I said, sifting through the newspapers. "I've found kids as young as seven and college students as old as twenty-one with testimonies like this. Nobody goes there, it's taboo."

"They picked a 'cursed' cave and managed to schedule their tunnel around the survey dates, which aren't listed until publication for records."

He picked up the book again and skimmed through what few dates were listed. I leaned over his shoulder as he flipped through the records, reading the dates along with him... There were no real patterns except for maybe good weather, but even then the dates were random.

He glanced up to me, forest green eyes meeting mine as we the reality hit us. Whispers left our lips at the same time. "A Makihara works with them."

"Coupling all this information with Reikai's…" He stared down at the newspapers and though he wasn't smiling, I could see the satisfaction in his face. "We've found the tunnel's location."

I fist pumped the air so hard my arm could have rightfully flown out of its socket. I plopped down in my seat, a weight lifted off my shoulder.

"The assignment is finished!" I cheered, leaning back in the chair.

In the still air of the library, we exchanged glances once more, his of lingering satisfaction and mine of beaming pride.

"We make a good team, don't you think?" I winked.

He breathed a quick laugh. "Meiou's number one student and socialite under one roof."

"We should do this more often. It was fun," I offered jokingly, to which he quickly replied.

"Under similar circumstances."

I watched him begin to organize the table, gathering the books and straighten the newspapers, as I felt my smile turn into a full-blown, cheek-hurting grin.

"After this, I wouldn't have it any other way."

He adjusted the copies with a fleeting smile, and then, just as I was about to ask if he would turn the information in, he spoke.

"Mother and Hatanaka are having dinner tomorrow, and Shuuichi and I need to go. I'll drop by Reikai the day after tomorrow."

"Shouldn't we turn it in as soon as possible? Go tonight." I couldn't remember the last time I was this satisfied with an accomplishment.

"We were just there," he said, voice barely above a whisper. "When we turn it in, Koenma will tell Yusuke, who will go down there to handle it immediately. They're expecting us. The less security, the better."

I nodded, watching him as he continued cleaning up. He gathered the books into a few piles and gathered any stray boxes or cans to put back in the bag.

If anyone knew how to plan an attack, it was someone who experienced battle many times before. I remembered the tournament and stared at him quietly. He paused, staring down at my brother next to him in surprise.

"Uh… Hojo?" Shuuichi's voice snapped me out of it. I turned to the boy with the bowl-cut to find him pointing sheepishly at my little brother across the table. "Minoru's… uh. Crying. He's been crying for a few minutes now."

I looked to my little brother, finding his face soaked and his nose dribbling snot. His shoulders shook as he kept his mouth clamped shut. His lips were pursed tight and the skin around them puffed out, holding in all the loud cries that were bound to break through soon.

"I tried talking to him but he won't open his mouth," Shuuichi whispered.

"What's wrong, Minoru?" My eyes flickered to Kurama's and we locked gazes briefly.

With the slight furrow of my brows, I asked silently if he overheard us, but with Kurama's calm gaze I figured he shouldn't have.

"She died." Minoru's lips broke open to cry, voice breaking too.

Tears fell down his face like water out a broken dam as I stared at him in shock. "Who?"

He sniffed again, and again harder, until I got up and leaned over the table toward him.

"Who?" I asked again. "Who died?"

I couldn't make out the name as he whined it through his cries. It was unfamiliar… Then it clicked.

"Fucking Christ. From your comic book? Get over it, Minoru," I said, rolling my eyes as I sat in my seat.

As we worked in silence, Minoru's crying could still be heard. It dragged on tirelessly, even when Kurama tidied up the books and hard copies and when I gathered all the trash in the paper bag. When I grabbed the empty can of roasted wasabi peas, I was totally, one hundred and ten percent done. I too was invested in my comics and I would be just as upset—but not in public, not around other people like this.

"It was just a comic book character!" I hissed, throwing the can in the shopping bag. "I get attached to them too but Christ, Minoru."

"It's not just that…" he cried and then sniffed. "She… I just keep thinking… what could she have thought before she died? Before his web caught her and her neck snapped?"

I froze in shock, staring down at the boy. He was way too young to think something like that. He'd reacted like this to character deaths before, but had never said something like that to me. Ever.

I knew the thought process, and it shouldn't have been something reeling around in his head. That kind of thought process came when you were fourteen years old and finished the latest issue and rolled over in bed, late at night, stoned righteously out of your mind and were one with your blankets and pillows. Not when you were six years old at a library surrounded by... text books and junk food.

"Come… come here," I said gently, gesturing for him to sit in my lap.

He got up and rounded the table, still crying. Sitting in my lap, he pressed his snot-dribbled face into my cream top and I repressed the urge to shove his face in the desk.

"Did she think he would save her?" he cried, and I stared at Kurama in shock, numb and dumbfounded about how to reply. He stared back, watching Minoru with interest. Even Shuuichi was worried about him. "Do you think she thought he was going to save her like he did everyone? Was she happy and didn't care about falling to the water because she thought he'd save him?"

"Yeah…" I replied, smoothing his hair. "I bet she was happy. I bet she was reassured."

"That's good, right?" he asked, pulling his face out of my top. "That's good even though he didn't make it? She was happy so it's… better than if she was scared?"

I swear to god if he stained my shirt…

"That's what you're aiming for if you die when you're awake," I said slowly, calmly, trying to talk sweet enough to soothe him. "That you're happy, you know? No regrets."

"I hope I'm happy when I die," he said, resting his head against my chest with a sigh. "I hope my last thought is a happy thought."

Though I was glad he took the talk with ease and simplicity, it almost unnerved me with how well he was accepting of death. Maybe being around Yu made him see it in a different light...

I glanced to Kurama again, watching him stare back with a poised expression to keep face.

I set my hand in my brother's hair, gently petting him, soothing him. I replied without much thought. "Yeah, Minoru… me too. We all do."

"It's getting late," Kurama said quietly, and I noticed the telltale evening lighting filtering through the windows. "We should get you both home."

I nodded, looking down at Minoru as he rested his head against my chest, breath hot and heavy and snot dribbling down his face still.

"Let's not rent those comics, okay?" I patted his back, and he didn't respond. "We'll go home and watch Saburomaru."

Shuuichi smiled to Minoru, leaning over in his seat. "Hey! It'll be fine; we'll pick up ice cream before we drop you off at home!"

He replied with an eager, refreshing smile to Shuuichi's offer, and I felt myself retreating inwardly, mentally. The way his mind worked burrowed itself in the back of mine, reminding me of a future ultimatum I'd be forced to make.

A/N:

* Wasabi is like a spicy condiment, often seen as a paste (or like a dust?) smeared on things like roasted pea.

** 2 kilometers is roughly 1.2 miles.