Chapter 21: Cracking fire
Heeeeyyyy, everybody! How are you doing?
Oh man… chapter 21 already, huh? Time flies by so fast, I can't believe it!
Before I get to my long ass thank you messages (although, they are getting shorter, aren't they? Hahahahahah), I just wanted to ask if any of you picked up on some tiny foreshadowing I tried to place in the last couple of chapters. Did any of you notice the small little hints I dropped here and there? If not, please don't worry about any of what I just said. It merely means I have to work harder on my writing skills to pull that off, hahahah! It'll all be solved in this chapter anyway, so there's no point in spoiling things right now either!
Anyway, how do I start…?
First, I think I should thank my amazing friend, lamperouge rolo for always helping me with my mistakes! Thank you soooo very much, my girl, you're truly awesome! I'm so grateful to have you here!
And the same goes for all you beautiful fellows, who wrote me all those amazing reviews! Thank you guys so, so very much! I'm always so happy when I see them and eager to answer each one of them!
You guys gave me so much drive to go one writing, I'm truly grateful for that! You made me believe that what I'm presenting here is really worth publishing, and I can't tell you enough how much I appreciate all your nice words! You're all awesome!
I met some pretty amazing people here, and I'm really happy to be texting back and forth with each one of you! Thank you, guys!
I know I'm still not close to being good enough as an author, but I promise you, I'll try to improve even further! My studies surely don't make things easy, but I'll keep at it, I swear!
I really hope you enjoy this chapter, you guys! The drama might not be to everyone's liking, but please bear with me a little longer! This story is almost done, hang in there, my friends!
With that being said, please tell me what you think of this chapter, and I hope you all like it!
Take care, everyone!
'I'm telling ya, Nakiri, your plan's stupid! Just lemme make the main dish!'
'And allow you to ruin everything we have been fighting for all this time?! Not a chance!'
'Say what?! Ya really think I don't give a damn what happens to the others?! Care for another demonstration of how serious I am?! I'll wipe the floor with ya!'
'Hmph, you must be joking! Haven't you learned your lesson from getting beaten by me several times earlier, Yukihira?! Just look at the time! We don't exactly have the luxury to sit here arguing all night, so stop your complaining and let's discuss our strategy instead!'
'Beaten several times, my ass! The others already quit playing as our judges a while ago, so I'd say the following matches are all draws at most! 'sides, how're we gonna come up with a decent plan if we can't even decide on who makes what yet?! Like I said, you take the appetizer and I handle the main dish! I gotta get back at Tsukasa-senpai anyway!'
'For crying out loud, why are you being so stubborn?!'
'You're the stubborn one! Don't cha get it?! Nothing ya put out right now can secure us a solid win, so it'll be safer for the whole team if I take the main dish!'
'Why you… What's that supposed to mean?! I am perfectly fine! I will win this match just like I always have!"
'Damn it, Nakiri, just leave the main dish to me! I told ya I still have a score to settle!'
'You can't be serious! Is this all you have in mind right now?! Settling a ridiculous score?!'
''Course not! I wanna-'
'I said no, and that's final! God, why did I have to team up with you of all people?!'
'Well excuse me for winning every match so far! I'mma make sure to get outta your way once I'm first seat, alright?!'
'You must be kidding! I told you already, Yukihira. I will take the top spot! We discussed this before, remember?!'
'Oh hell no! Nothing's decided yet! If I beat Tsukasa-senpai with my dish tomorrow, I'm sure to get the 1st seat!'
'That will never happen! You don't- oh whatever, I give up. It's hopeless trying to form a strategy with an imbecile like you. I am going to prepare the main dish, end of discussion.'
'Ya can't be serious, Nakiri!'
She rubbed her temples tiredly, exhaustion clearly written on her features.
'Be reasonable for once. This isn't about you settling some dumb score! You couldn't defeat him before, what makes you think this time will be different? We can't afford to lose here, there is simply too much at stake! Don't you understand?! The final battle takes place tomorrow, Yukihira, and we have barely a few hours left! So instead of quarreling like little children, we should come up with a strategy already!'
'…Why're ya so worried? We can beat 'em.'
'Why do you have to act so carefree about this?! You are always behaving like everything that happens does not involve you, and it is seriously getting on my nerves! Guess what, Yukihira Soma! You are part of this, and-'
'Whoa, hey, what's with you? Relax, would ya? I'm not saying this doesn't involve me, 'course it does. But what's the point in freaking out like that, huh? Sometimes the best way to win is to take risks here and there, make stuff up on the spot, and improvise after seeing what your opponent is doing, ya know?'
His eyes flicker back to her for a second, unsure whether she truly listens to him or just waits for an opportunity to cut his explanation short again. He knew, it would certainly be more beneficial for both of them if she did the former, but reading Nakiri Erina's mind has never been his forte, and in a situation like this… he didn't have the slightest idea how to proceed with her being so rejecting.
Rubbing the back of his head in frustration, he decides to just follow what his gut told him before.
Try to make her understand.
'Sure, maybe Tsukasa-senpai has a plan ready for tomorrow, but still, we can turn things around if we adjust our strategy while cooking out there, don't cha think? It'll be easier, trust me. I know from experience.'
'Honestly… it's ridiculous how easy-going you can be. Where is that confidence even coming from?'
Shifting in his seat on the kitchen counter, the red-haired boy grinned from ear to ear as his citrine orbs drifted towards a very peeved looking Nakiri, who, to his huge surprise, had yet to walk away from their makeshift workstation. And with that, the young chef also realized… it was just the two of them, since everyone else had already retired for the night.
Right…
He knew she was mainly here with him to come up with a solid plan for the final battle, nothing else. And just like himself, Soma figured she must have other things on her mind that simply didn't allow her to go get some rest.
Things she refused to tell him, despite being here for far longer than she needed to.
He was well aware it wasn't to get some comfort from him, or to offer her own. But he appreciated her presence nonetheless, feeling himself refreshed and ready for action in spite of preparing one dish after another the entire time.
They hadn't slept even for a second, partly thanks to their continuous bickering, but also because neither of them wanted to be the first to suggest it- to appear weak. And although he felt bad for the way his heart leaps whenever he thinks about the upcoming confrontation, Soma couldn't deny that, more than anything, he was simply too excited to close his eyes for longer than a minute.
The time to face off with their white-haired upperclassman had finally arrived. There is no way he would go lay down now.
And it's precisely what he won't tell her.
'Well, I'm pretty sure we got this in the bag either way, so we might as well just enjoy the peaceful moment right here, eh Nakiri? Ya could make us some cookies or something.'
'I will do no such thing! And I refuse to believe we can win this without a decent strategy. Did you already forget who we're up against?'
'Nope.'
'Then why are you still smiling?! Do you see this Shokugeki as a mere joke?!'
With her distressed question, the light mood in the kitchen suddenly shifted to a somewhat darker one as Soma's smile dropped instantly. His amber eyes lingered on her face for a few seconds longer, took in that disheartened expression she had shown him way too often in the past couple of weeks, before finally jumping off the counter and making his way straight towards her with a small shadow cast over his features.
'No. I'm well aware what's at stake here.'
'Then why are you-'
'Think about it, Nakiri. Getting all riled up is the last thing we need right now. I get that you're worried, and I'm not saying I don't give a crap either. I do but still… ya gotta pull yourself together, or we'll lose this thing for sure. If it really helps ya relax, go ahead and form a plan. Choose some dishes that you believe can be useful. I'll listen, but don't expect me to do the same, alright?'
He knew his gaze was intense, knew exactly what kind of message it was that he wanted to deliver with it. But despite all his efforts, the stunned look on her face told him clearly that Nakiri still couldn't see the intention behind his words- their true purpose. And her lack of understanding is already starting to get on his nerves.
He needed to try something else. If she wasn't at one hundred percent, they had no chance of winning this fight.
But what could he do when she refused to listen to reason? Nakiri wasn't an idiot, but her fear sure made her behave like one.
It felt strange to see her acting all calm and collected when in reality she was freaking out more than anyone else right now. He wanted to reassure her, to tell her she didn't need to be scared, but…
'Fine, I understand. The God Tongue made a promise to support every single resident of the Polar Star dormitory during the advancement exams, and I intend to keep that promise no matter what. Which is why I won't hand the duty of making the main dish over to you, Yukihira. We can't afford to fail.'
'Wha…? This isn't what I meant! You're not- Hey! Get back here, Nakiri, I'm still talking!'
'Forget it! Leave me alone already, I have things to prepare!'
'The hell?! We haven't decided on anything yet! Where are ya even going anyway?! Hey, Nakiri!'
He followed her out of the kitchen with an irritated expression on his face.
He had his own reasons for preparing the main dish and he wouldn't allow her to just count him out like that. And above all, how could he let her be when she seemed so… lost, so vulnerable?
Just as he was about to grab her wrist and give her a piece of his mind, she came to a halt on her own just a few feet before him, her back still turned and her face hidden completely from his view.
'Thanks, Yukihira. I'm grateful not to be alone in this.'
His eyes widened as she suddenly tilted her head towards him, a gentle smile playing on her lips despite the emptiness that was still evident in her squinted amethysts. He hated the dull ache it triggered in his chest, hated how that meaningless smile left him so unbelievably dead inside.
Still, Soma had never said anything about his feelings. Not back when he'd seen her wear such a hollow look for the very first time, and not now either. He simply swallowed them down like he always did.
'Sure… But are ya really-'
'Yeah, I'm okay… Let's just go out there and show them what happens to people who mess with students of Totsuki academy, okay?'
'…Yeah…'
With that, she took a deep breath to calm her nerves, slowly turning back around and disappearing behind a corridor like a shadow.
Why was this giving him such bad vibes all of a sudden?
She was going to be alright now, wasn't she?
'It's not just your fight, Nakiri. We'll handle this together. I promise.'
…
The second Yukihira Soma opened his eyes, a bright light shone directly onto his pupils, preventing him from seeing his surroundings clearly.
He didn't know where he was, nor how he got here, but when his fingers felt the soft fabric of a small mattress underneath him, when he smelled the scent of disinfectants, and when he saw the glaring lights above his head, he finally got a sense of his location.
A hospital room.
"Soma? You awake, m' boy?"
"…Dad…?"
He wasn't sure if it really was him or not- for all he knew, this could still be part of a dream, a hallucination.
But then, a cough to his right snapped him out of his reverie, left him breathless for a few seconds, and made him want to jump out of the bed just to make sure the man sitting on a chair beside him wouldn't move away.
He was really here…
Blinking a few times, the young chef tilted his head just enough to look his father straight in the eye. He gripped the thin blanket above him with all the force he could muster the second their eyes met- the second he realized that his father was indeed by his side.
But then, a strange sense of loss suddenly grew inside the pits of his stomach, making it unbearably hard to take steady breaths as he blinked even more to hold back what wanted to be released.
"Dad, I-I'm-"
"I know, Son… I know… It's okay now, you did what you could. I'll take it from here."
That was it.
He had reached his limit.
With his grief now boiling over, Soma abruptly sat up in bed and opened his mouth, ready to apologize for his irreparable misstep. But before he could, two strong arms pressed him against a warm chest, held him tightly as his breathing slowed down, contrary to the agonizingly fast thumping he felt against his ribcage.
Why was he despairing like this now? His father was finally here, offering to help, and all he could do was trying not to tear up like a five-year-old.
Which one of his problems was crying going to solve?
"Stupid kid. Don't you dare scare me like that ever again, ya hear?"
"I… I'm sorry I-I wasn't able to-"
"Don't even go there, Soma. It's not your fault. Quite the opposite, actually. I shouldn't have sent ya over there in the first place. It's my fault, I'm sorry…"
"Dad… T-they just- she was just… she was lying right there in front of me… I couldn't- I-I couldn't…"
"Calm down… it's gonna be alright. We'll bring her back, I promise."
His father's embrace tightened, his chin landed on Soma's crown without a second's delay, and despite the warm temperature inside the room, his body started shaking with the older man's steady trembling, showing how upset he really must be right now.
Had he been here with him the entire time?
"H-how'd you know where I was anyway?"
"The hospital contacted me. Apparently, a man found ya lying unconscious on the ground near the forest three days ago. He brought ya straight here, and is waiting for you to wake up ever since- I think. Said he knew ya quite well actually."
"But who would… W-wait, three days?! How…? What happened?!"
Releasing him from his hold, the red-haired man sighed in exhaustion as he rubbed his temples.
Now that Soma got a closer look at him, he noticed it too. His father wasn't in the best shape since they last saw each other. Those dark circles under his eyes and his slouched posture seems to be an understatement of how long he ran around without taking a decent break, much less sleep.
He looked… drained.
"…You were drugged, m' boy. Apparently, it knocked ya out like a light and spread inside your body very quickly thanks to the high dose they used."
"I was… wha…? What are you saying, Dad? Is this a joke?!"
"Afraid not. The doctors have been trying to get the morphine outta your system for the past seventy-two hours, and only 'cause that man brought you here in time, they were able to give ya first aid. Damned bastard must've used a lot of that shit to immobilize ya the way he did."
"Seriously…?"
He balled his hand into a fist, trying to process the swarm of information his father gave him.
Drugged… It could've ended worse, all things considered. He was lucky to be here, lucky to be alive, and lucky to have his only family member beside him.
But with that thought came also the painful realization that he might be the only one fortunate enough to receive medical attention, the only one who made it…
It took him a good minute to gather his thoughts and force out the question he wanted to ask since he gained consciousness. Although… from the way his father talked to him- looked at him-, it seemed like the answer might end up being a dissatisfying one.
As tempting as it is to just sit there and play ignorant for a little while longer, he still felt like he needed to force himself to open his mouth. He had to.
For her…
"Pops? Are there… are there any leads on where she is? It's been three days, someone should've heard something by now, right?"
Joichiro averted his eyes as he dejectedly shook his head.
"…Not yet. I have been keeping in touch with the police but… I'm sorry."
He felt a cold shiver run down his spine. No clues…
'Are they even trying to find her?' an annoyed voice in his head hissed. 'Are they truly searching?'
"Hold on, Kiddo. Lemme get a doctor in here to check up on ya real quick so we can get outta this hospital already. My butt hurts from all this sitting around."
The man rose to his feet and rushed out of the door before Soma had the chance to ask any more questions. There was so much more he wanted to know, so much more he needed to clear out. But right now didn't seem like the best time to continue with that. The tall shadow he took note of when he stared at the entrance to the room was shifting around almost impatiently as if he had been waiting outside for several hours now.
Who…
"H-hey, Yukihira-kun? May I come in? Y-your dad said you're awake now…"
The Flower boy?
"…Eh, sure, c'mon in."
Soma furrowed his brows and crossed his arms impatiently as the door opened very slowly, revealing the brown-haired vendor still wearing his flower shop apron.
"What's your deal, man? Relax, and take a-"
As Masamune started to speak, the red-haired chef's eyes widened involuntarily, lips parted in shock while memories flooded back at the mere sight of him.
Of course…
His fists clench in realization.
"Y-Yukihira-kun, listen-"
"You…"
Feeling the rage taking over and his energy returning, the redhead forcefully freed himself from the cannula that had been inserted into his arm before jumping out of bed in haste. He ignored the few drops of blood that spattered onto the white sheets, ignored the slight pain creeping up his arm as he stormed towards a very perplexed looking Masamune.
With a powerful swing, he punched the man right in the face, knocking him back a few feet with its sheer force.
He couldn't reason with himself, let alone understand where that urge came from. But right now, as he sees nothing but red, one single blow doesn't feel even close to being enough. Not after he saw Masamune's true colors that night.
"Where the hell have ya been?! Why didn't you stop them?!"
"I-I… P-please c-calm down, Yukihira-kun! I-I didn't know-"
Grabbing him roughly by the collar of his shirt, Soma slammed the now bleeding brunette against the wall. White, hot anger shutting out every sense of reason that might have been left in the chef's drug clouded mind.
"Shut your trap and answer the question! Where were you that night?! Where were you when she got shot?!"
"I-I don't-"
"You were closer to where she was! Ya should've been with her at that time! Where were you, damn it?!"
"Y-Yukihira-"
"She was bleeding on the ground, Masamune! She was alone and they shot her! Do ya have any idea how scared she must've been?!"
His knuckles started to turn white in rage, his eyes mere slits at this point.
"I-I…"
Suddenly, the door swung open forcefully, revealing Soma's father and a bespectacled doctor. In his surprise, the young chef's grip on the other man slackened, allowing Joichiro to pull him away from the shocked shopkeeper.
"What the hell's gotten into you, Soma?! Have ya lost it?!"
"Lemme go, Dad! He's-"
"The one who brought your stupid ass to this hospital when ya were lying on the ground unconscious! So show some gratitude, will ya?! What's wrong with you, boy?!"
"No, he-"
His eyes widened instantly as he slowly stopped struggling against his father's strong grip, unable to digest the revelation.
Masamune was supposed to be the one who helped him? So he had been that person waiting for him to wake up for the past three days, or so he apparently claimed…
"Young man, are you alright? I'll inform one of our nurses right away to take a look at that eye and nose of yours."
"T-thank you, Sir…"
"I'm sorry about my son's behavior. He might still be in shock about what's happened."
Joichiro pushed Soma's head down as they bowed together.
"Still, it's not an excuse to punch anyone. So, we beg your pardon."
What?
The red-haired chef lifted his head a bit to face his father.
"But he… he wasn't…"
Darkness surrounded the young student's vision as he tried to pry away, forcing him back into a deep slumber and thus preventing anyone from understanding his mumbled words.
His head hung limply to the side, his muscles relaxing as they gave in to sleep's sweet embrace.
The last thing he heard was his father shouting his name and the tight grip on his upper arms before he closed his eyes, hoping to wake up- truly wake up- from this reality that felt worse than a nightmare when he opens them again.
…
"Yukihira-kun? H-hey, you okay? Can you hear me?"
Squeezing his eyes shut one more time, the redhead eventually caught a glimpse of someone's hand holding out a glass of water towards him.
He didn't need to ask who it was, nor did he want to. The irritatingly concerned voice was indication enough. And as much as he'd like to refuse the offer and close his eyes again, Soma's lungs literally screamed for the cold liquid that was held out to him. He had to drink something or else he wouldn't be able to speak for a while, his throat feeling too dry to even engage in an attempt. So with a low growl as confirmation, he sat up and took the glass out of Masamune's hand, thanking him unwillingly after he took a few deep gulps.
"Are you feeling better now?"
"Kinda… Your nose okay? Sorry 'bout that…"
"O-oh, no, it's alright. Nothing seems to be broken, so that's a relief at least. It really is lucky that we're in a hospital, huh?"
"Yeah…"
Despite the vendor's comforting words, he couldn't shake off the feeling of guilt that is still nagging at him. The longer his eyes lingered on that blood stained handkerchief Masamune held against his nose, the more he wished he could've controlled his emotions better, especially after hearing that it had been the brunette himself who saved him in the end.
No matter how he looked at it, Soma owed him a great deal now. Perhaps not wholeheartedly, but he still did.
"You know… I honestly had no idea what was going on. When I returned to our meeting spot, you were lying on the ground and Erina-san was nowhere to be found. The only thing I saw was that pool of blood near the bench she'd wanted to sit on, but there was nothing else that could've helped me figure out any of the details. I-I… I'm truly sorry…"
"…No, it's not your fault. I just… overreacted, I guess. Don't worry 'bout it."
"…S-so was she really, ehm… s-shot? J-just like that?"
His voice trembled, as if debating whether or not it was a good thing to push the redhead's buttons even further.
It wasn't. But Soma felt too drained to start another fight right now. And giving Masamune a second black eye wouldn't solve matters anyway.
"Yeah, she was… The bastard did it right before I showed up… He must've been waiting for us to leave or something."
Once again, a shudder cursed through Soma's body as he recalled what had happened at the end of the festival, what he had witnessed before the drug took full effect.
Her eyes begging him to help, her hand reaching for his, her voice whispering his name, perhaps even ordering to get away…
She was gone, and he hadn't been able to do anything about it.
What would have happened if he had just stayed with her like he promised himself he would? The thought of having lost her because of his own foolishness nearly drove him insane, leaving him clutching the bedsheets once more in pure agony.
Her current condition was much worse than his own, the amount of blood she had lost far more severe for her body than him being drugged with a petty little needle.
Was she even still…
He shook his head vigorously, trying to push those thoughts out of his mind with as much force as he could.
This went too far. She's alive, and that's all he has to focus on until he finds her.
"Care to share your thoughts? You look like you're about to punch someone again."
"It's nothing… I'm fine."
"C'mon, Yukihira-kun… I'm sure the police's gonna bring her back safe and sound. Don't worry about it."
"Police, huh?"
"Yes! They even came here to question me about the whole incident. Unfortunately, I couldn't give them much, but they said they'd get in touch with you once ya wake up, so… maybe you can shine more light on the situation than I could."
"Yeah… I doubt it'll help, considering it's been three days already. They should've gotten something by now… Wait, where's Pops?"
"Oh, he's outside talking to someone on the phone. Said he'd be right back. Though if ya ask me, it's been quite a while since he stepped out…"
"Really? Huh…, he's probably just checking in on Gramps. No big deal."
A tired look crossed his features as he slid back down the covers of his bed, citrine orbs closing on their own once again.
"How long was I out?"
"Let's see… About three hours, give or take. You really scared your father there, ya know? He looked shaken up."
"I'll apologize to him later. Right now, it's kinda… I don't really…"
He attempted to turn away from the man sitting beside him, but the sudden pain in his left arm made it impossible for him to move any further than he already had.
Gazing down in confusion, he quickly found out what restrained his movements and why it hurt so much. A new cannula replaced the one he had ripped out before, and this time, it seemed to be piercing his skin much deeper than the previous one to insure he didn't repeat his mistake.
"I understand how you feel… but try to have a little more faith, alright? Erina-san's gonna be back faster than you can count, I'll bet all the money I have on it. And that's saying something, considering I don't have much to begin with."
"Yeah, thanks…"
"…Well, guess that's all I can do for now. My family's pretty worried since I hung out at the hospital for so long. Now that you're better, I should head back home."
"Oh… Ya didn't have to-"
Waving a hand dismissively, the brunette simply smiled sadly down at him as he stood up and made his way to the door.
"It's okay, don't sweat it. I'm attached to her too after all, so this is the least I can do… A-anyway, I'll see ya later then, Yukihira-kun. Oh, and one more thing… I left ya my number over there on the table. Please contact me if ya need anything. A-and keep me updated about Erina-san too, alright? I want to be there when, you know…, she's back…"
"Sure… thanks for the help."
"N-no… I didn't do anything… really…"
With his head lowered in shame, the shopkeeper opened the door and left the room, not looking back even once.
It seemed he really was feeling guilty about not having been there when they could've needed his help, and Soma appreciated that.
He would definitely keep in touch, he owed him that much at least. After all, he stayed here for three whole days when he easily could've gone home instead. It would only be fair to return the favor this way.
'Three days, huh…?'
Three days, and still no sign of her…
Was there anything he could tell the police that his father, Masamune, or even Ogawa Daizo hadn't already? Was there something new he could add?
They might've already taken a closer look at that application file, not to mention those older documents that had been found in Totsuki's archives, so how would his words be of any use? He hadn't even seen the man's face for that matter.
They were only wasting time with all that useless questioning.
If this keeps up…
"Hey there. I see you're already up, kid. How're ya feeling? Does it hurt anywhere?"
"Huh? No… I'm fine."
He hadn't heard his father entering, nor did he notice the change of tone in his voice until he was standing right next to the bed. It sounded… strange. Like he was trying his hardest to suppress a certain emotion. Which one, he couldn't tell.
The realization immediately leads him to sit back up as his eyes lingered on Joichiro's frown, even after he lowered his head and allowed a dark shadow to hide his expression.
"Dad? What's wrong? You got a lead on Erina?"
"No… nothing of the sort, unfortunately. Listen Soma… I'm afraid we'll have to head back to Tokyo soon. Something came up."
"What…? A-are ya serious?! What's more important than searching for her?! Don't screw around with me, Dad, it's not funny this time!"
"…A few hours ago… Nakiri Senzaemon was hospitalized due to a heart attack. They can't tell how he's doing, but it sounds like it's critical enough to summon most of his relatives over there. As his friend… I'm obligated to go as well, and I'm taking you with me."
With one single inhale, all the warmth in his blood seemed to have vanished for good, replaced by the sudden chill that took hold of his entire body. His eyes were unnaturally wide, his pupils barely visible, and with his throat drying all over again, it almost felt like he wouldn't be able to speak at all.
The old man was supposed to have a…
"W-wha… what are you talking about? G-Gramps was… H-how…?"
"Honestly? I don't know either… I mean I knew he wasn't feeling too good after his granddaughter left over a month ago, but this… I hadn't seen this coming at all. Senzaemon-dono having a heart attack is… Anyway, as soon as you're allowed to leave, we're heading back to Tokyo. I'll leave Erina-chan's case to the authorities for now…"
"A-are you serious? They haven't found her in three days! She has a serious injury, and they're taking their sweet time! Don't cha think they'll slow things only further down if we bail on them?!"
"I know, Son… Trust me, I'm well aware of how it'll look if we just leave like that. But… I've got no choice. We have to check on him. And I'm not leaving you alone here either. Not that you could do much on your own anyway…"
The shock slowly turned into desperation as he gripped the empty glass in his hands even tighter, gritting his teeth without another word of protest.
His father was right. They had to go see the headmaster before they would regret it for the rest of their lives…
This isn't fair. Things keep getting worse, and he couldn't do anything but clench his teeth and listen.
Erina was gone, brutally taken away from him. She had been inflicted with a dangerous wound, and was most probably hurting the most out of them all as he sat here, debating on what to do next. And Gramps… why did this have to happen now? Was his situation really that critical?
Would he… die? Just like that, with his granddaughter being held captive by a psychopath and completely unaware of what was going on?
He felt bile rising in his dry throat, swallowed it down forcefully, and felt it come back once again.
It was sickening. The whole situation was.
"H-hey, Dad? Are we… are we really just gonna leave like that? What if she…"
He sensed his father's hand ruffle his short hair after a few seconds of silence, fully understanding that he never intended to finish that sentence in the first place.
Though this time, the gesture didn't manage to comfort him as much as he had hoped it would, the only feeling left in his memory being the sensual touches of the blonde and the light kisses she had given him when he had pretended to sleep on their last night together.
"I promise you, m' boy, there's no way Erina-chan won't survive this. Like her grandpa, she has an iron-will and a stubborn nature. The both of them will make it, trust me."
A single nod was all the reply he could muster, the weight on his heart too heavy to say anything else.
"On that note, care to explain what that little stunt was all about? I had to apologize multiple times to the doctor who treated you, ya know? I hope you have a good explanation."
"That, eh… He was the one coming to that festival with us. We… there was a fireworks display at the end of the day, and we wanted to watch 'em together. Before it started, he and I ran off to get some snacks and drinks, and… well… whatever happened, happened while we were gone. When I came back, he wasn't there, and even after those bastards took Erina with 'em, he still hadn't shown up. I was… it was…"
"Soma… I get how you feel, but this is… No. You know what? Never mind. I can't fault ya for any decision you make at this point. Do what you think is right. But don't go off punching people in a place like this ever again, do you understand? I won't stick my head in ice for your stupid ass a second time, alright?"
"Y-yeah, gotcha…"
"…So, who is he anyway? A new friend?"
"To be honest, I don't really know… Even though he pisses me off a lot, I don't think he's a bad person. The name's Masamune, and he works at his family's flower shop near Erina's house here in Kamakura. Other than that, I know nothing about him. I even forgot his surname…"
"Huh… that's not nice."
"Whatever… When're heading out? Did the doc tell you?"
"Yeah. It's a good thing your friend brought you here as fast as he did, or you'd be stuck here for at least another two days."
"Ya already said that! Drop it now, would ya?"
"No can do, Kiddo. I'll repeat myself 'til you understand that punching the one who saved your life is not exactly a noble thing to do, alright? Doesn't matter how worked up you are- or how much the drug has affected your brain."
He sighed, not the least bit in the mood for another lecture.
"Whatever… with the way things have turned out, they said you could leave the hospital today."
"Really? Sounds good to me. The faster I get outta here, the better."
"Well actually, I think they just wanted to get rid of a kid with serious anger issues, that's all."
"…Yeah, could be…"
He knew what his father was trying to do, but as much as he wished to laugh and make silly jokes to reassure him that he was alright, he couldn't. His heart denied him the right to simply loosen up even for a little while.
Her abduction had cut deep, and he wasn't anywhere near ready to act all happy-go-lucky again.
Nevertheless, he couldn't deny his father the small smile that he was apparently striving for, no matter how hard he tried. He was doing the best he could, and Soma appreciated the effort a lot, even if the pain in his heart was nearly unbearable at this point.
"C'mon, kid, don't look so depressed. Things may look bad now, but trust me, we'll get through it all eventually. She's gonna come home, and Senzaemon-dono will make it out of that hospital, you can count on it. Ya just gotta be strong and keep your head straight. Can you do that?"
"…Honestly, I don't know… I just- I don't wanna leave like that. But Gramps…"
The seriousness in Joichiro's eyes never left as he nodded his head in understanding, rising to his feet soon after with a small smart phone already pressed against his ear. At the redhead's confused expression, he merely smiled sadly towards the door, a stark contrast to the encouraging speech he just gave him.
"Well, guess I'll try giving that thickheaded Nakamura a call too while you get ready. Sooner or later he has to be made aware of what's going on around here, so might as well do it now. Seriously… to cause so much trouble for your own flesh and blood, and then just let her deal with all the consequences… how low can that idiot fall?"
He didn't answer. There was nothing the young chef could say that'd come even close to reflecting how he feels right now- the anger burning inside the pits of his stomach, the wish to blame the next best person just so his own guilt would finally simmer down a little, the anguish that came with that name… no words could capture his current suffering.
So he stayed silent, watching his father leave the room as he fought a fierce battle inside his mind.
What was the right thing to do? How should he proceed from here?
He had already lost a lot of time by sleeping through three damn days, and now he won't even get the chance to look for the heiress himself. He had to find her, but the man he had considered his own grandfather for quite a long time was… if the situation was as dire as his dad had described, who could say what would happen next.
Fate was being a bitch so far. There's no telling what else it has in store for them.
He didn't want to go. The thought of abandoning the blonde made him want to throw up multiple times, especially when he knew very well that she was not in the best condition. But… if Gramps really were to die in one of these days, he'd never forgive himself either. He had become too attached to the old man to just ignore his state like that.
Once again, his hands gripped the sheets above him in pure desperation, the soothing temperature was suddenly too cold for him to bear, and with his father out of the room, the extent of his bundled up emotions was sure to overwhelm him right here and now.
"…What would you've done, Erina…? Shouldn't I be coming after you first? Am I really supposed to see Gramps without ya? I wanted- I gave him my word, and now I… Tell me what to do. I'm lost…"
The first drop descended onto the back of his hand, followed by so many others that couldn't be stopped anymore even if he were to try. His walls had been crumbling dangerously ever since he regained consciousness, and now… they were unable to withstand the sheer force of his tears, let alone the shaking of his entire body.
His heart was screaming, his balled fists raging. All he wanted to do was run outside and get her out of whatever hellhole she'd been forced into before the blood loss would eventually do her in. Yet at the same time, a voice deep inside him begged for more patience- begged him to go with his father and see Nakiri Senzaemon himself just so he could properly apologize for his failure.
He deserved this much respect at least…
As more tears fell, his trembling increased drastically, forcing him to squeeze his eyes shut in an attempt to stop himself from losing his mind completely.
"…Wha-what d'ya want me to do, Erina…?"
…
"Ah, there he is. Hey! Gin!"
Their steps echoed in the long hallway, their breaths shallow as they hurried to the tall man's side.
"Joichiro, you came…"
"Yeah… How is he holding up?"
"We haven't heard anything new yet. I take it to mean his condition hasn't improved. Though he is in the ICU now, so… maybe we'll be able to visit him soon."
"I see… When did ya get here anyway?"
Soma's head remained lowered as he listened to the conversation between his father and Dojima-senpai, not even bothering to greet the latter this time.
"Oh, it might have been… about three hours or so. Not a lot has happened since my arrival though."
A long sigh escaped Dojima Gin's throat as he closed his eyes and rubbed his temples tiredly.
For Soma, it was… strange to hear these two adults converse in such a serious way for longer than two minutes straight. He was used to them goofing around just like he always was, and yet… the situation seemed to have taken its toll on everyone around him. He knew it was stupid to think he'd be the only one affected by all this, but… he hadn't expected to see such an overwhelmingly high degree of sorrow written all over their faces, let alone a certain lack of confidence that had been in their every movement before.
They seemed so… worn out.
"I can hardly believe it. These sure are some rough times we're in, huh. What a mess…"
"Got that right… no one has an idea how to move on from here."
Once again, he felt his father's hand gently ruffle his hair, letting him know he was still somewhat part of this conversation, even though he hadn't said a single word yet. He didn't feel comfortable staying silent for so long either, but… what was he supposed to talk about anyway?
"Do you have any news regarding Nakiri Erina's case? Did the police make any progress?"
"No, not quite… I'm going back there as soon as we confirm Senzaemon-dono's okay."
"I understand… And how are you, Yukihira? I heard about what happened to you. I'm sorry you had to go through that."
"…Yeah, no worries. I'm alright."
He didn't pay attention to the quick nod the two adults exchanged, didn't mind when his father told him to stay where he was while he and Dojima-senpai hurried to the cafeteria and bought some coffee.
It was fine with him. He could use the quiet atmosphere to think some more anyway.
After all the debating he did, after all the tears… he really went through with his decision to come here first. He left Kamakura helplessly, feeling that he was abandoning her.
And he did. No matter who might be saying otherwise, he did abandon her for now.
Taking a deep breath, the young student tried to calm down again as he paced back and forth in the empty hallway.
Minutes passed, people he didn't recognize came and went without sparing him a second glance, and with his thoughts still running wild, the boy neither paid any mind nor was he particularly interested in what they talked about as they gathered in front of the ICU.
It had to be nighttime by now, which means visiting hours would be over before he'd even get the chance to see the old man. Why bother staying here at all?
His father was now sitting beside him again, gulping down his fourth cup of coffee.
And as the silence stretched even further, Soma couldn't help but feel somewhat caged in again.
With that, the redhead simply stood up and made his way towards the exit without a word, hoping that some fresh air can clear up his head a little.
If his father minded him walking around in his state, he didn't show it, only letting him pass as he took another sip of his steaming espresso.
Passing yet another empty hallway, he took a turn towards the reception area with both hands buried deep inside his pockets and a dark shadow cast over his eyes.
This back and forth nonsense only added to his anger, and he didn't want to lash out at some random patient should he come across any. At this point, he'd be easily triggered. One wrong word, one wrong move, and he was sure to explode.
The crying hadn't contributed in releasing some steam at all, and his father's presence could only sooth him for so long.
How much longer was he supposed to wait anyway?
Time wasn't exactly on his side right now.
"-ra."
At this rate, Erina would die…
"-hira."
Was there really nothing he could do? Nothing?
"-ihira."
"What?!"
He whirled around furiously, only to see Kurokiba strolling towards him with an unreadable expression on his face and the red cloth he always wore in battles clutched in one hand.
"I've been calling out to you for a while. Didn't ya hear?"
"…Seriously? I don't think it counts as 'calling out' when your voice goes barely above a mumble, ya know."
"Whatever. Are you here for the old man too?"
"Yeah… Where's Nakiri? I was sure I'd run into her somewhere around here."
"There's a waiting room across the hall. She's been in there bawling her eyes out for three hours straight now. I was on my way to get something to drink when I saw you walking by. You okay?"
"I'm fine…"
"Hm. Ya sure? You don't exactly look-"
"I said I'm fine. There are more important things to worry about."
"Whatever, if ya say so."
"…How's she holding up?"
"Well considering she just found out about her cousin being abducted and her grandfather having a heart attack… I'd say pretty crappy. Like I said, she hasn't stopped crying ever since."
"I see… I'm sorry 'bout that, really…"
"Don't tell me, pal. Go to her if ya wanna apologize. She said she had faith in you and all, so…"
"Right… I should sort this out with her, huh?"
"…Ya should've done that the moment she asked you where Erina-oujo was, Yukihira."
"I know… Lead the way, I'll talk to her."
…
Left alone once again, Soma now stood in front of a closed door, hand raised and ready to knock.
But every time he attempted to do just that, the sound of endless sobs and hiccups coming from inside forced his fist to halt midway, leaving him more frustrated than he thought he'd be at first.
He wasn't the type to plan conversations ahead, much less dwell on what he would say once he was face-to-face with someone. But… now he couldn't afford to screw things up. Nakiri Alice was upset enough as it is, and he would be adding even more fuel to the fire if he didn't choose his words carefully this time.
Then again… being honest meant staying true to himself, right?
His impulsiveness was what got him into this mess, and it would be the one thing to get him out of it. At least he hoped it would.
So without another thought, he lowered his hand and simply opened the door, not bothering to knock at all.
The first thing he noticed after stepping inside was the overwhelming amount of tissues scattered across the floor, then the blue bag and countless magazines lying right in front of his feet. He didn't know what to make of it until his eyes shifted to the trembling figure sitting on the ground with her face buried in her knees and her finger nails digging into her skull as if wanting to tear her hair out.
His eyes widened in shock at the sight of the white-haired chef sitting there like some crazy person, shaking to the bone and crying her heart out while being surrounded by all these used up tissues.
What had he done…?
"R-Ryo-kun? Did-did you find out a-anything? Is-is Grandfather… i-is he awake now?"
"Sorry, Nakiri. Kurokiba went to get you some water. He's not here…"
"Wh-wha…?"
As she raised her head, the lump in his throat was getting even closer to being unbearable. Her horrified expression and the way she stammered while whispering his name made him wish he hadn't announced his presence at all.
But nevertheless, he closed the wooden door behind him and kept a straight face as she rose to her feet, the shock in her face now changing to something he never thought he would see- especially on her.
She stepped up to him wordlessly, grit her teeth strong enough for him to hear it, and looked him in the eyes without so much as even a twitch.
He couldn't blame her, not when he knew full well what his appearance here meant.
There was currently no one keeping tabs on the investigation regarding Erina's case back in Kamakura. No one to pressure the police to put more effort into their work…
Stopping right in front of him, the girl raised her trembling hand, only to slap him right across the face as hard as she could while more tears streamed down her already reddened cheeks.
He didn't move, didn't speak. All the young student could do at that moment was to stare at the side after the impact of her slap had forced his head away from her. He felt the throbbing, the stinging on his skin, but couldn't bring himself to take a single step back, his muscles refusing to function in any way.
Was this how Masamune felt too when he punched him out of the blue like that?
"What are you doing here?!"
"Listen, Nakiri, I-"
"You shouldn't be in Tokyo, Yukihira Soma! What about my cousin?! She's suffering somewhere far out of my reach with a goddamned bullet stuck in her body, and you're hanging around here like a coward?! How dare you?!"
"Nakiri-"
"I trusted you, Yukihira-kun! I can't believe you would give up on her like that! I thought you loved her?! If she's dead by now, I swear, I will make the rest of your pathetic life a living hell!"
It was déjà vu all over again… He had acted the exact same way towards the shopkeeper just this morning.
How painfully fitting.
The insults kept on coming, her tears never died down, and with his own guilt already nagging at his conscience non-stop, he didn't find the strength to object to any of her accusations.
One thing was for sure though. The words leaving her mouth were way harder to digest than the slap could ever hope to be. They were brutal in their own right and sent all kinds of shivers down his spine.
Just considering Erina's death a possibility again makes him want to vomit right on the spot.
"Nakiri, calm down, would ya? I get what you're saying, and I don't really feel any different 'bout it. But I-"
"Spear me that crap, Yukihira-kun! It's been three freaking days already! Where have you been?! Did you seriously crawl back to that stupid diner of yours after she was taken?! Did you think it was alright for you to show up here like nothing happened?! That Grandfather and I wouldn't ask you about her?!"
Her fingers grabbed the collar of his shirt, shaking him back and forth forcefully without any form of resistance on his part.
How could he? Apart from that whole 'running back home right after the shooting' accusation, all of her statements were correct. He didn't know how he was supposed to confront Gramps like this, nor if he even had the right to see him after his massive failure.
Now he definitely understood what Erina meant when she said it would be hard for her to look the old man in the eye once they made it back. It wasn't easy, and it probably never would be.
"Don't just stand there! Say something! Tell me where you were when my cousin was attacked! Tell me what you've been up to for the past three days, why you didn't call me back even once! Tell me what you're doing here instead of looking for her, Yukihira-kun! I won't take 'no' for an answer this time!"
"He was at the hospital himself 'till now, Oujo. I doubt he even knows what's going on."
"…W-wha…, R-Ryo-kun?"
As the black-haired chef closed the door behind him, Alice took an unsteady step back, eyes widened with both horror and… remorse?
She let herself fall onto the next best chair in the small waiting room and kept her gaze fixated on the redhead standing before her while Kurokiba handed her the bottle of water he had purchased, sighing when she couldn't even summon the strength to lift it enough to take a sip.
"You need to drink, Oujo. It won't change the situation if you end up getting sick as well."
"I-I know! L-leave me alone already!"
It was his fault she suffered like this now, his fault she had to be here in the first place. His heart ached painfully at the sight of Kurokiba taking the bottle and gently placing it against her lips just so she could finally drink.
Was Erina even getting anything to drink right now? Probably not.
Was she even conscious and fully aware of her surroundings yet? Who could say…?
Shaking his head to rid himself of such thoughts, he hesitantly stepped forward, relieved to see Alice taking a few deep breaths and calming down again. The tears didn't subside, but perhaps he shouldn't be expecting that, considering the situation they were in.
"W-what happened, Yukihira-kun? W-why were you…?"
He closed his eyes as he shrugged in response, angered by the memory of what it was that prevented him from protecting the heiress in the first place.
"One of 'em injected me with something before I had the chance to bud in- morphine, I think Pops called it. Apparently, it was enough to knock me out right off the bat. I just saw 'em drag Erina around and run somewhere into the forest. I couldn't… it was my fault. I shouldn't have left her alone for a second that night. It just… I dunno…"
His hands balled into fists without him even realizing it, the anguish in his eyes worsened as he watched the white-haired girl press her own against her mouth.
"I've been out ever since, and, well… we only came because Dad got that call about the headmaster having a heart attack. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't serious."
He came to a stop in front of her chair, crouching down so they could be at eye-level again.
"Nakiri, I know this might not be the best timing to ask this, but… I need ya to tell me exactly what happened, alright? Why did Gramps get sick now? How do you know about the abduction?"
"I-I… S-some police officer called him this morning to ask some questions a-about Erina, a-and how he was related to this Kenji Toru person. He… his responses were so detailed, b-but he was trembling like crazy the whole time. I-I was right beside him when it happened, s-so Grandfather had no choice but to explain everything to me- more or less. I didn't understand much, I-I wanted to hear more, but then… all of a sudden, h-he…"
"…It's okay. Don't worry, I got cha."
Why? Why would he collapse just from a phone call?
Was this his first time hearing about it?
A police officer… They seriously waited three whole days to inform him about his granddaughter's abduction? And on the phone, no less…
As far as he knew, his father had been questioned at the station right after he got in touch with them, and even Ogawa-senpai must've given his testimony by now. Not to mention Masamune too, who was contacted at the hospital of all places…
Why didn't they reach out to the most important person immediately? Why didn't they go to the estate?
"Nakiri, you sure it was the police who called him? Could ya hear their voice or something? Did Gramps tell you?"
"N-no, he didn't… I-I just figured, since, you know, Grandfather gave such thorough responses and all… Aside from the trembling, he didn't seem to behave all that different to me… W-what is this about, Yukihira-kun? What're you getting at?"
His citrines suddenly widened and unfocused, he rose to his feet as fast as he could, hurrying back to the door with one hand already tangled in his red locks while gritting his teeth in anger.
"…I gotta talk to Pops 'bout this. Hang on a sec, alright? I'll be right back."
"W-what? Oh no, not this time, Mister! You owe me an explanation and I refuse to let you out of my sight until I get one, you understand?! Come on, Ryo-kun, we're going too!"
Finally wiping the rest of her tears away, the girl stood up as well with a determined look now evident on her reddened face.
He didn't object to her demand, only opened the door so that she and Kurokiba could step out first before following them outside himself.
To his luck, their trip back to the ICU was a rather short one, leaving no room for further discussions or anything alike. Still, it felt so long because of the heavy atmosphere. Honestly, he would've preferred an argument breaking out than the crushing silence between them.
It was quiet, so unbearably quiet. He wasn't used to Alice not saying a single word for so long- three minutes should have been her limit at best.
However, his torment finally ended when he saw his father standing in the hallway and in a deep discussion with Nakiri Soe while they still waited for further news on the headmaster's condition.
It must be way past visiting hours by now, yet more people in fancy suits kept on coming. They were gathered in front of the ICU with their backs turned towards him and talked to one another very calmly, like nothing serious was going on.
Strange as it was, it only irked Soma more as he shifted his gaze away from them.
"Hey, Pops! Got a sec?"
"Hm? Oh, there ya are, kid! I was wondering where you'd run off to."
While they remained standing on the other end of the corridor, his father quickly finished his chat and excused himself with a small wave of his hand before heading straight towards the small group.
He seemed even more exhausted than two hours ago. And yet, the red-haired man did his best to stay casual, not allowing the stress to weigh him down in any way as he came to halt in front of them with his raised brows mainly focused on Soma himself.
Slightly shaking his head, the boy scratched the back of his neck as he stared at the side instead. He had to gather his thoughts quickly before he would end up losing the one chance he had to get decent Intel. Whether his theory is even right or not, he had no idea though.
"Hey there. What're ya three up to?"
"Never mind that now. I gotta ask ya something."
"Oh? Sure, go ahead."
Sighing in both frustration and depletion, the young chef closed his eyes for a second as he dropped his hand again.
His mind felt clouded, his senses dulled. It could be the drug's side effects or something else entirely, he had no idea. But he sure as hell didn't like it- not one bit.
"Dad? Did ya, eh… did ya tell the police that this Kenji Toru guy worked at Totsuki before all that crap with Central started?"
"Of course I did. They needed to know where his obsession with that family came from after all. Why?"
"So… Gramps knew what was going on the whole time then?"
"He did indeed, kid. After I talked to the police at the station, they immediately sent someone over to Totsuki just to get more details on the matter. Again, why are 'ya asking me this all of a sudden? Did something happen?"
"I'm trying to find out myself… But that sure doesn't sound good at all…"
"What? Soma what are you talking about?"
He clenched his jaw as Alice stepped forward, crossing her arms the same way he had only seen one person do before…
"That's exactly what I wanted to know too! He just ran off without giving me any explanation!"
"That so? Care to fill us in now, Kiddo? What's going on?"
"I don't really know… This doesn't make any sense."
"For crying out loud, Yukihira-kun, what doesn't?! Spill it out already!"
"Don't you get it? The phone call you guys got this morning. It couldn't have been an officer, 'cause they already questioned Gramps three days ago!"
"H-huh…?"
"Think about it. Why would they repeat questions on the phone they already should have the answers to? It just doesn't add up."
"Whoa, hold on there, Soma. What d'ya mean? Who repeated questions on the phone?"
"Nakiri said they got a call this morning right before the heart attack happened. She didn't hear what this someone talked about in particular, but apparently, their words were enough to make Gramps tremble like a leaf. And above all, it-"
Suddenly, he was once again face-to-face with his father as the older man grabbed his shoulders urgently.
It didn't surprise the boy in the least to see him sporting the same expression he had on his face the entire time, nor did he feel the need to go into more details with his elaboration. He could feel that his father had more or less caught on where he was going with this…
"Slow down now. What are ya trying to say exactly? Senzaemon-dono received a phone call that led to his heart attack? Are you sure about that?"
"Well, Nakiri was standing right next to him at that time. Plus, she was filled in on the whole situation about Erina afterwards, so… yeah, we're sure."
"W-wait, Yukihira-kun! You don't mean…"
"Yeah… I think it was someone involved in the abduction who contacted our headmaster this morning, or maybe that bastard himself even… Whoever it was, it seems they're not satisfied in just getting their hands on your cousin. They wanna mess with Gramps too, and it worked… We need to ask him what they really talked about as soon as possible. Maybe it could help us get one step closer to actually finding her…"
"This is serious, m' boy. Rash decisions won't get us anywhere. It could've really been just an officer asking for more Intel. I'll get in touch with the main investigator for this case, and we'll see what he can do. Until then, you kids stay put, and wait for Senzaemon-dono's recovery alright? It's a good thing you told me about this, but no more snooping around, you got that?"
"What?! But I'm not-"
"I mean it, Soma. Get yourself into trouble again, and I swear I'll kick the ever-loving shit outta ya right here and now, you understand? Stay where you are and wait things out. I'll be right back."
Releasing his shoulders and patting his head one last time, the red-haired man quickly made his way back to the main reception hall without giving him another glance.
What was that stubborn old fool expecting him to do? Sit still and watch while the police go around trying to find even more useless clues for another three days?
This whole investigation just takes too long as it is, and neither Erina, nor Gramps have the luxury to wait right now. Shouldn't there be more people looking for her anyway?
Her family wasn't exactly a small one, so aren't there more relatives besides Alice supposed to care?
He didn't understand the lack of concern that was displayed on all those unfamiliar faces, didn't grasp why no one ever asked where Erina was. It made him sick to see the white-haired chef being the only person among them who cried and despaired while everyone else just chatted casually amongst themselves.
He imagined things would only start getting out of control once the media shows up, which they were bound to do eventually. And then, not only the headmaster's current condition would be public knowledge, but also Erina's too…
"Hey, Yukihira-kun…?"
"Hm?"
"I, eh… I wanted to apologize to you… For, you know, saying all those nasty things back there. You didn't deserve it, and I wasn't really in the mood to listen to reason in the first place, so…"
Finally turning towards her again, he merely shrugged his shoulder in apathy before giving her a small smile.
"No need to bring it up. I already forgot most of what ya said anyway. 'Sides, you weren't exactly wrong there either."
"…Are you… are you going to tell me what happened that night now? Please… I need to know…"
"There's not much to tell… I couldn't help her when she needed it the most. She's gone 'cause I got careless. That's all there is to it…"
"I don't think that's true… Did you hear her getting shot?"
"No… I'm guessing there was a silencer involved or something. Otherwise, everyone within close range would've heard it easily."
"So… I take it you weren't there then?"
"More like I was too late… There was this guy we met a couple of weeks ago, and he had the brilliant idea to let Erina rest near the forest while we go and get some snacks for a big fireworks display that was supposed to happen at the end of the night. He didn't know there was someone after her, and I wasn't paying enough attention to notice where exactly we were either… I just… I shouldn't have left her alone to begin with. Nakiri, I… I'm sorry…"
His heart was aching, his pain too deep for words. Yet the way he bowed his head to her displayed how he felt all too clearly, the shame, the guilt, the anger, everything…. It had been his carelessness that caused all this suffering in the first place, his lack of attention.
The growing rage within him couldn't be described, even if he wanted to.
Suddenly, he felt a firm hand land on his shoulder, a long sigh escaping the one person it belonged to before he squeezed hard enough to make the boy look up in astonishment.
"Get a hold of yourself, Yukihira. You seriously look pathetic right now, ya know that? It won't change shit if you just keep feeling sorry for yourself."
"Huh…?"
"Oh brother… Listen, as much as it pisses me off to admit this… Ryo-kun's right. You don't seem like yourself, Yukihira-kun. Where did all your enthusiasm go? I refuse to hand my cousin over to some good-for-nothing worrywart who can't even get up on his feet when times get tough, you got that? Instead of apologizing to me, you should be thinking of a way to get her back! The police are obviously useless at this point, so we have to come up with something ourselves. Seriously, what's up with you people? First little Miss 'I'm running away and I don't care what happens to everyone close to me', and now you. Are you guys trying to irritate me on purpose or what?"
"Nakiri, what're ya-"
"Get it together, man. If she's anything like Oujo, which believe me she is, she'll definitely stay alive until you find her. They're both way too stubborn to know when to call it quits. You should've figured that out by now."
"Hey! Shut up, I'm nothing like her, alright?! She's a little brat who can't even share one single toy, let alone have enough decency to tell you the cake you spent the whole day making tastes remarkable! I mean, who in their right mind would ever want to be associated with someone like that?!"
"…See what I mean?"
"Ryo-kun!"
He didn't know what to say. His eyes were about to fall out of his head, his lips parted just enough to reveal a few of his teeth.
It was like a flyswatter hit him right in the face, knocked him back a few feet, and made him lose all sense of direction he had.
He wasn't sure what was going on exactly, but he felt as though something in his mind began to stir as his gaze lingered on the two students in front of him- something that he shouldn't have neglected in the first place.
Hope.
He wasn't a pessimist, never had been. He would kick fate's ass and do what he had planned to do from the very beginning of this journey, bring the heiress home.
And for the very first time today, a bright, genuine grin spread across the redhead's face, golden orbs squinted in appreciation.
"You're right. We'll get her back. Forget the cops, we're doing it our way. Maybe Masamune would lend a hand too."
"That's the spirit, Yukihira-kun! I'm not letting that Kenji freak torment my cousin even further! He'll get what's coming to him!"
"You betcha."
Kenji…
There was this strange sensation in his stomach again. Like he was missing something very important…
That name sounded so familiar, and he didn't know why. It bothered him immensely that he couldn't recollect where he heard it before, let alone why it seemed so significant to him.
Whenever that name came up and Soma tried to remember, his brain simply refused to give him a satisfying answer, just like right now.
Perhaps he was reading too much into it?
Unfortunately for him, the sound of multiple footsteps echoing in the quiet hallway pulled him out of his thoughts before he could come to any kind of conclusion, forcing him to leave the subject unresolved once again for the time being.
His citrines searched for familiar faces as he saw quite a few people approaching from a distance, their expressions somewhat unreadable.
"What's going on, Yukihira-kun?"
"Wish I knew… Oh, Dad! Where have ya-"
"Not now, Son. I have to speak with the doctors right now."
"Why? Did something happen?"
"I'm not sure yet. I'll explain everything once we know more, alright? You three just stay here, and don't do something stupid. I'll be right back!"
"Quit repeating yourself! What's going on here? Did Gramps wake up?!"
"I don't know yet! He might have… We'll talk later, okay?"
"What?!"
He was turning the corner before Soma could say anything else, the silence returning once all those men disappeared from their sight.
Gramps was… awake?
Joichiro said he couldn't tell for sure, but…
His heart started hammering against his ribcage, the shock of what they were just told sent one shiver after another down his spine.
This sounded too good to be true, the excitement took hold of his body way too fast for him to comprehend the situation.
Was this really happening?
His ears weren't deceiving him, were they?
The old man had actually made it…
He was safe…
He heard Alice laughing and jumping behind him in pure happiness as his own joy slowly bubbled over, leaving him frozen in place without any sense of orientation.
"Did you hear that, Ryo-kun? Finally! I can't believe our luck is finally turning! Grandfather's okay! He-he's okay…"
"Oujo?"
Once again, tears gathered in her ruby eyes, sobs began to shake her body as she slid down the wall and pulled both knees towards her body.
And then… she cried. Senseless. Sorrowful.
Even after he and Kurokiba took a seat on either side of her, she didn't stop, only turned her pained sobs into a sad whimper as the minutes passed by.
"Y-Yukihira-kun… I-I'm begging you… find her quickly… I can't- I can't endure this any longer… i-it hurts too much, please… please s-save her, Yukihira-kun… I d-don't want my cousin to-to die…"
With her eyes closed and her head now resting on Kurokiba's shoulder, she continued her mumbling while Soma merely stared at the wall across from them, his expression betraying no emotion whatsoever.
"Don't worry. She won't…"
And as he remained there, seated on the cold floor with his arm placed above one knee, he made himself yet another promise.
Nakiri Erina wouldn't die. Not now, not anytime soon…
Annndddd cut!
Damn, what a chapter, eh? There's not much going on here, but I hope you guys still enjoyed the way our baby boy tries to deal with all those heavy emotions.
I'd really love to hear what you think. Pour your heart out!
As always,
Stay safe, and take care, everyone!