A/N: Kanji finally joins the team! And Yui undergoes trouble during a day that's important to her... what is it? You'll have to read to find out!
Mr Giraffe (Guest)
- Well, the reason I focus on those two a lot is actually because I'm... more or less following a planner/guide/idkwhatelsetocallit? Eh, you get the picture... ;w;
- Oh yeah, he's appearing in here. But I think I can make a little event with the test by next chapter or the chapter after that... hehehe. And yesss Yui is good cook, her rival being Naoto... and who knows if she can beat the heiress? :D
- Ahhh I don't really play favourites much, but I guess MC takes the crown because he's actually attractive? Even crossdressing as a woman he's attractive... (and for the life of me I can't draw his front bangs right when doodling)
- nyeh shes getting there, more development coming soon maybe lol
On with the chapter, ta ta!
Monday soon rolled around, and finally, Kanji was back in school that day.
Yu and his friends met up with him up on the roof, and it took a moment for the silver-haired boy to compose himself so he didn't recall that time again. At least Kanji looked alright.
"H-hi there!" he greeted them, polite all of a sudden.
Chie giggled a bit. "Haha, where'd the manners come from?"
Kanji scratched the side of his head awkwardly. "Well, um… I didn't know you guys were my senpai." His response made the older teenagers laugh, but otherwise, they held no hard feelings. Who would've thought that the guy that made them run was actually younger than them?
"Uhh… thanks a bunch. Though I don't really remember what happened…" Kanji then told them.
Yu looked at his friends, and they nodded at each other. They should try and ask, at least.
"There are some things we'd like you to tell us about," Yukiko said, starting it off.
"First off, who was that boy you met with?" Chie asked him.
At first, Kanji didn't get who they were asking about… but it took him only a few seconds to realise exactly who they meant. "I-I really don't know much about him… I mean, I've only met him twice…"
"Yeah, but you walked home from school with him. What did you guys talk about?"
"Uh, well… he just asked stuff like… if anything different happened lately…" Kanji tried to answer. "But I dunno where my head was at… when I came to my senses, I blurted out that I wanted to see him again." There was a reddish hue on his cheeks as he said that.
"To a guy," Chie deadpanned.
"…I, uh… I don't really get it myself. Girls are so loud and obnoxious, so, y'know… I really don't like dealing with 'em. Guys are a lot more laid-back. S-So, uh, I started thinking… what if I'm the type who never gets interested in girls…? And I couldn't accept that, so I kept spinning around and around in my head…"
"Well, I can understand the part about feeling more relaxed around dudes," Yosuke commented.
Yu felt just about the same – living for so long acting like a guy got him more used to being around boys than girls, but his likings still stayed the same and he still got nervous if he went a long while without close interactions… like that time.
…Well, they're not here to chat idly. "Well, how are you feeling, Kanji?" he then asked the blond boy.
"I'm fine now," Kanji answered with a smile. "I mean, it was all in my head, when y'get down to it. I was the one shutting out that stuff." He then averted his eyes from the silver-haired boy. "So, uhh… our family's run a textile shop for generations… oh yeah, you already knew that. My parents are kinda weird… they say stuff like, 'Dyes are one with the universe,' and 'Cloth is alive…'. That's the kinda house I grew up in. So I've been interested in sewing and stuff since I was a kid. But the second I say stuff like that, people look at me funny… girls make fun of me, the people in the neighbourhood treat me like I'm some zoo animal, so I was sick of everything. And when I got to my senses… I was running wild."
He paused for a moment. "Shit, what's with me today? I'm going on and on about myself… forget all that. Man, I must look really lame right now."
"No, you're not… you're really pretty cool, Kanji." Yu smiled softly at the younger boy. Kanji was tough to handle all that on his own… unlike himself.
Kanji shook his head, however. "Nah, I doubt it." He then looked up at the sky, looking… peaceful. "Haha… I've never talked about any of this stuff before. Guess I never had anyone to tell it to. I guess I wasn't really afraid of girls. I was just scared of people in general. But all that's behind me."
His words genuinely surprised Chie. "Wow, I'm surprised… you're a good kid…"
Now Kanji was blushing in embarrassment. "D-Don't call me a good kid…"
"Hahaha, no need to get embarrassed. You're a big guy, you can take it." Yosuke grinned at the blond boy. "Hey, is there anything you remember after you ran into us the second time? You know, after you chased us away and said you were gonna take us down," he then asked.
"Huh? Uhh… I went home… I was gonna sleep it off in my room… wait, I think someone came…"
"To your house!? Who was it!?"
"Uh, well, it was just a feeling I had… I dunno if anyone actually came…" Kanji soon noticed the looks on Chie and Yosuke's faces and quickly tried to remember something else. "Other than that… I remember some weird, dark, entrance thing… when I woke up, I was laid out on the floor of that sauna place."
"A dark entrance…" Yukiko mused quietly. "Could it have been a TV?" she asked him.
"Huh…? Now that you mention it, maybe so… uh, why do you ask?"
"Oh, no reason… I was just wondering."
"Did the police ask you anything?" Yosuke questioned, to which Kanji looked a bit awkward at answering that. "Well, my mom had called the cops to look for me, so they questioned me for a while. I told them exactly what I just told you… and they looked at me like I was crazy."
The four older teenagers looked at each other. Yep, the police were hopeless.
Kanji was confused at the looks they were giving each other. "So, like… are you guys playing detective or somethin'?"
"Mmm, well, something like that…" Chie answered him. Kanji then grinned, seemingly eager. "Anything I can do to help? If there's some bastard out there who put me through this, I ain't gonna rest until I make 'em pay," he told them.
"Seriously? Awesome! You'd make a great addition to our team!" Yosuke looked at Yu. "Whaddaya say, Leader?"
Yu had no qualms to Kanji joining the team. "Of course he can," he said, smiling. "Welcome to the team, Kanji."
"Thank you, Sir! I'll put my life on the line for you guys!" Kanji did something like a fist pump as he grinned at the silver-haired boy. "I'll do my best!"
Now that Kanji Tatsumi has joined the Investigation Team, they have just gained a strong asset in solving the mystery of the murders in Inaba… and because of it, Yu could feel that the Fool Social Link has grown in strength.
Yet even now, he feels something else… just a warmth that was pooling in his chest whenever he looked at the blond boy. Averting his eyes for a moment, he tried to act natural while still feeling that warmth. Why is this happening…?
At least the others haven't noticed.
"Well, if we're gonna welcome aboard a new member…" Yosuke was about to suggest it, but Yukiko finished his sentence. "Should we take him to our special headquarters?"
Chie glanced at the two. "…We're still calling it that…?"
"Wh-What's that!?" Kanji was startled to hear about this 'special headquarters'. Yosuke grinned at the blond boy. "C'mon, let's go!"
Well, if anyone had overheard them while they were coming up to the roof, they wouldn't understand a thing the group were talking about. The four teenagers then led the newest addition to their team to where their 'special headquarters' were…
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
…Which was the food court at Junes. Like usual.
Kanji had bought himself some grilled steak which he was eating at the moment. Yosuke sighed. "Man, you eat a lot… were you listening to what we were saying?" he asked, somewhat annoyed. Kanji stopped eating for a moment to answer, his mouth still full of food. "Huh? Shurr, I waf lifnin'."
"Close your mouth!"
The blond boy took a few seconds to clear his mouth. "So, uh… someone's killing people with a TV…? What, is he beating them to death?"
"No, they weren't being beaten with a TV! Were you listening at all…?"
The look on Kanji's face said it all.
Chie just smiled. "Don't worry, he'll understand once he sees the place with his own eyes." Then, her expression turned serious. "But the way it happened was just the same as with Yukiko. The killer kidnapped him first, then threw him into the TV."
"Yeah… it's scary…" Yukiko nodded slowly. It meant that the killer might strike again soon and do the exact same thing they did with her and Kanji… and who knows when that may be?
Nearby, there were a pair of male students gossiping about a show… the Midnight Channel, apparently. It confirmed the group's fears – other people were watching it. One of them even said that they knew that a certain someone would be the next one to appear. "What's that dude's name? That first-year who used to be in a biker gang…"
Suddenly, Kanji got up from his seat and turned to glare at the two. "Who the hell d'you think was next? His name is Kanji Tatsumi… and he wasn't in a biker gang - he's the one who beat the shit out of those leathered-up pansies. So who are you dipshits…!?"
Immediately, the two boys ran off. Kanji huffed and sat back into his seat. "Feh… boring."
Chie sighed, knowing the feeling. "I can't stand it… sure, they have no idea it's related to the murders, but still… how can they talk about their schoolmate like that?"
"They're like onlookers at a car crash. As long as it's not happening to them, they're dying to see…" Yosuke explained to her. He was right about that – it was how society worked, strangely enough. "Damn, this sucks… we don't even know who's gonna be targeted anymore."
"This case disproved our assumption that all the victims are female…" Yukiko said to start it off. "What was the other thing we thought they had in common?" Chie asked, trying to remember.
"People involved in the initial case, about Ms. Yamano, are the targets… how about that?"
That was more of a loose-ended idea… Yu shook his head. "I don't think it holds up now."
"Hmm. Think we're wrong about this one too?" Chie asked. Yosuke shrugged, looking unsure. "I dunno… that announcer was involved with their mothers, not them. We haven't come up with a reason yet why the killer would target their children."
"You guys sayin' you don't have any clues? Well listen up, 'cause I got somethin' big," Kanji then told them, smiling proudly as he took out what looked like a small piece of paper.
"What's that?"
"When I made my comeback at school today, there was an annoying brat hanging around. Turns out he was snooping around about Senpai's and my disappearance, so I took this from him. I dunno what the hell this all is, though."
"Uh, and you took it anyway?" Chie looked at Kanji incredulously. "Just let it be, Chie," Yu told her as he reached over to the blond boy to take the paper. Since he was a little short, Kanji had to reach over as well to pass the paper over to him.
The smaller boy almost flinched as their fingers brushed, but nonetheless he managed to grab the paper and went back to his seat, acting normal. Taking a closer look, he noticed that there were a number of lists… but one in particular made him feel like something just went off in his head.
This might just be it… the one hint to how the killer picked their victims.
Whoever the guy Kanji took this paper from, he had seen something the Investigation Team had never even considered. So, Yu began to read out the 'list of TV programs' as stated on the paper. "This is the list of TV programs. Mayumi Yamano, April 11th… Saki Konishi, April 13th…"
Yosuke listened with confusion. "What're these dates? April 11th…?"
Chie then recalled what the date meant. "Oh, they found the first body on the day school started, so that would have been… the 12th. The 11th is the day before that…"
"I know I can't forget the day Saki-senpai's body was found… that was the 15th. So then, what are these dates? And what does 'List of TV programs' mean? What's 'Saki Konishi, April 13th'…?"
"It's… the day she was on TV..." Yu answered him, recalling that day being the same day he had first met Saki at Junes. His answer brought some sense to Yosuke. "I see… yeah, there's no doubt about it. Oh yeah… I saw that, too. They were interviewing her because she found the first body."
"Then this part… 'Mayumi Yamano, April 11th'. Is that the day she appeared on TV, too…?" Yukiko wondered. Chie's eyes widened as she started to remember that particular day. "Oh, she was on! I remember now! That was when the affair hit the news!"
Yosuke then realised something. "Hey, wait a sec… Yukiko, didn't you get interviewed too? When did that interview air!?" he asked the black-haired girl. "I-I think it was when I was absent from school… um…" Yukiko looked at Yu. "It was the day after I met you on the embankment. I had my kimono on… do you remember?"
Yu nodded. "I remember." That day, he was practically aching all over after fighting Yosuke's Shadow… a little reminder to himself to not underestimate the Shadows in the TV world.
"I went shopping that day, so… April 15th! And right after that, I was kidnapped."
Then Yosuke looked at Kanji. "Kanji! What about the television special you were on!?"
"Oh yeah, that thing… damn show made my mom go apeshit on me and…" Kanji muttered as he scratched his head, but he was interrupted by the brunet. "The date! Just tell us the date!"
"Uhhh, I don't remember the exact date… but it wasn't too long before I met you guys."
At those words, Yosuke slumped into his seat. There was no denying it now. "It's true, then… everyone was on TV before they disappeared," he murmured. "So, you think the killer's targeting people he sees on TV…?" Chie asked him. "I was so caught up with the news reports about the incidents that I didn't notice at all…" Yukiko admitted, surprised at this revelation.
"It can't be a coincidence. It all matches up…" Yu told them. He's confident that this is the killer's modus operandi, or manner of working, so to speak. Yosuke thought about it for a short moment. "Now that I think about it… when the killer failed with Yukiko, they moved to Kanji instead of trying again… maybe this 'being on TV' thing is some stupid rule that the killer's following."
Chie nodded. "That's right… the killer could've targeted the same victim again…"
"I think there's a definite connection here between the kidnapping and the TV broadcasts. The victims weren't just involved with the first case. They were also shown on the mass media."
"That must be it…"
"But if so… what's the motive? Why kill someone just because they were on TV? Argh… dammit, now that I think about it, we haven't gotten anywhere! Why can't I be smarter…!?" Yosuke gritted his teeth as everyone except Kanji lowered their heads.
"Dude, why beat yourself up? I think you guys are awesome," Kanji told them all. "I mean, you guys noticed what was happening to me and risked your lives to stop it. That's more than enough."
Yukiko looked at her three classmates. "You rescued me, too. We may not have solved the mystery, but we've saved two people already."
"That's true, but…" Yosuke averted his eyes from the two. They did save two, but there were also two people who were already lost to this mystery… and he couldn't do a single thing about it. "What's more, everyone's deduction that Kanji-kun might be next was right on the nose," Yukiko continued, not letting him continue to let himself down.
Chie groaned, being reminded of their failure to stop Kanji from being kidnapped. "I know! We were so close."
Hearing that, Kanji looked at the group in surprise. "Huh? You knew before it happened? Damn, I wish you guys'd come a little earlier, then…"
They all shared a small laugh at that.
Chie felt a bit better now, smiling. "Well, if we know this much, I think we can outsmart the killer next time. Then it's a countdown to their arrest."
"Don't forget, it's always possible that Kanji-kun was the last target," Yukiko added. It's a hopeful thought, but still quite unlikely. Yosuke sighed. "Or so we hope… we've thwarted them twice already. Here's hoping the killer's learned their lesson by now. Anyways, let's keep checking the Midnight Channel like usual when it rains."
Everyone nodded, knowing that they have a 'job' to see who the next victim would be if the killer decided to strike once more.
Chie then remembered something. "That reminds me… the school campout's next week. I hope it doesn't rain…" She looked at the blond boy. "It's for both the first-year and second-year students, so we'll see you there, Kanji-kun."
"Seriously? School, huh…? What a drag…" Kanji didn't look too excited to go back to school again. He glanced at Yosuke. "Yo, mind if I order another grilled steak? I'm gonna finish this one up while the next one's on the grill. We're… going Dutch on the meal, right?"
His question went unanswered as Chie suggested that they go introduce Kanji to a certain someone. "Well, let's get going. I think our new teammate needs to meet Mr. Bear."
After a moment of silence, Kanji stared at them all in confusion. "Huh? What's up? …Fine, whatever… I'll go for something cheap, like ramen. Wait, or should I get a takoyaki set…? Man, I can't decide."
"None of it," Yukiko merely told him.
"Whaaat!?"
…Well, they'll show him once he finishes eating.
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
They met up with Teddie in the TV world so they could introduce Kanji to him while also getting him the pair of glasses he would need for when he travels this world with them.
Kanji stared at Teddie for a moment. "Oh yeah… now that you mention it, I kinda remember this thing… didn't think it was a bear, though." He looked at Yosuke. "Hey, why IS it a bear?"
The brunet shrugged. "Dunno."
"Me neither. I've been wondering too," Teddie told the blond boy, looking sad. Kanji stared at the bear with a small blush on his cheeks. "I-It's kinda cute…" he whispered to himself. "M-Mind if I pet you?" he asked Teddie.
"No touching allowed, Mister."
"Wha-!? Don't give me any lip, bear!"
Yukiko covered her mouth as she laughed at the scene. Kanji just shook his head. "Tch…" He looked at her. "Uhh… by the way, I been wondering. You were kidnapped too, right, Yukiko-senpai?"
"Huh…? Yeah, it wasn't long before you," Yukiko then answered, a bit surprised at the question.
"So like, that means you came out to everyone too?"
"Th-That's… um…"
"What was it like for Senpai-" Before Kanji could even finish, he was suddenly slapped by Yukiko. "Urgh!"
Yu winced at that. Ouch…
"Oh, sorry… I didn't mean to hit you so hard…" Yukiko took a step back when she realised what she had done. Kanji felt his jaw a bit. It hurt like hell. "M-My jaw…"
"I'll be more gentle next time…"
"More… gentle…?"
Chie sighed, shaking her head. "What a pair of dimwits…"
"Oh yeah! Here's a present from me, Kanji! It's to celebrate you joining the team!" Teddie told the blond boy, approaching him to give him a pair of glasses. "Ah, so these are the glasses you guys told me about," Kanji commented as he observed the pair of glasses he was given.
"Hurry and put them on," Yukiko urged him.
"Huh? S-Sure… but hang on, aren't these different from everyone else's?" Kanji then put them on… to reveal that the glasses were actually the weird looking ones. Why Teddie makes them, it's a mystery of its own… but they're hilarious.
After a moment of total silence, Yukiko began to laugh. "I-It looks perfect on you… heehee… snrk… ahahahaha!"
Yosuke laughed too. "Haha, damn, dude. It looks great on you!"
Yu almost laughed, but he was able to control himself this time so he just smiled at the sight.
"I had a normal pair ready for you. But Yuki-chan insisted on this one. She wouldn't budge!" Teddie admitted. Kanji glared at the bear and took off the glasses he was wearing, throwing them into Teddie's face. "Yeah, real funny, you smartass!"
"Wh-Why are you taking it out on me!?"
"Gimme that!" Kanji then grabbed the other pair of glasses that Teddie just so happened to be holding, putting it on.
…It was the same goofy pair of glasses.
This time, Yu burst out laughing alongside everyone else except Kanji, probably even harder.
"You took my spare pair… Kanji, you must really like those!" Teddie jokingly said. Kanji grew embarrassed and angrily took off the glasses, turning around to throw them off into the foggy distance where they will be no chance of retrieval. Then he took the ones Teddie offered him, this time the real pair of glasses.
"This is the real one. It wasn't easy getting it to you," Teddie informed him. "Why the hell did you bother making a spare if it's more useless crap…!?" Kanji shouted at the bear. "Dammit! I'll get you guys for this someday!"
Everyone just kept on laughing… Yu felt like he hasn't laughed like this in a long while. Who knew that this would be that funny?
The next day went on like normal.
Yu decided to join band practice in the afternoon after Ayane had asked him if he could join it today for the rehearsal. He was genuinely surprised to hear her play the trombone much better than she did the last time they practiced together.
When practice was over, the two of them met up.
Ayane greeted him happily. "Senpai! I'm going to the river to practice!" she told him. "It's so peaceful there. There's even a little roof nearby, so I can still practice when it's raining. I've been going there every day, even when we don't have rehearsal. I need all the practice I can get!"
A sad smile appeared on her lips as she looked down at the floor. "It may be a lost cause, but… I might as well try." Then, she looked at Yu. "It's all thanks to you, Senpai. If I'd been on my own… I would've given up."
Yu smiled at her. "Hey… it's not all me either. You got yourself this far."
Ayane smiled back as she blushed. "Senpai… I… I'll make it a performance to be proud of… for both of us…" She beamed at her Senpai with such happiness. "…I want to make you smile."
For once, Yu found himself trying to hide his awkwardness at those words, feeling the small girl's affection for him. Although it did result in the strengthening of their bond and the Sun Social Link… this might have unforeseen consequences.
Ayane didn't know of the problem the silver-haired boy was going through as she kept on smiling, now blushing shyly. "Uh… well… I'll be on my way now!"
"Ah, okay. Bye, Ayane."
The two of them then parted, leaving Yu to walk back home after practice. He just hoped that Ayane didn't end up falling for him… otherwise, it'll be both sad and hard for him to reject her feelings…
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
That night, Yui was checking her calendar to take a proper look at the dates… and soon realised that tomorrow was an important one – she had accidentally overlooked it while she was so busy thinking about the upcoming test next Tuesday.
Quickly taking out her phone, she dialled up her grandfather's secretary again. "C'mon… pick up…" She paced around her room as she waited for an answer.
Eventually, a voice answered. "Yui, is there a problem? I thought I already told you before…"
"It's not about that, Mr. Tadashi. Tomorrow is…" Yui couldn't bring herself to say it. Her chest throbbed with pain at the very thought of it.
"…Oh. Right. What do you… want me to do for tomorrow?"
"M-maybe… bring a bouquet of flowers for her. She always… did love flowers."
"Alright… I can get that done tomorrow quickly. Anything else…?"
"Um… clean her… y'know…"
"I understand. What else?"
"I think… that's all I can ask for." Yui was breathing deeply as she spoke. She always was the only one who remembered to do at least something on that very day, even if she wasn't around. She didn't know what her grandfather did, though.
She wouldn't be surprised if he didn't do anything for all these years since her passing.
"Yui… will you be alright tomorrow? I can send a letter to your teachers if you don't feel like going to school…"
"No. No… it's okay. It's okay, Mr. Tadashi. I can handle it."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure. Just… do what I asked, please. Goodnight."
"…Okay. Goodnight, Yui."
The call ended, leaving Yui standing in her room in silence. She put her phone back into her pocket, sighing heavily. To think that she almost forgot what day was tomorrow…
…She'll have to find some time to pray for her grandmother after school the next day.
Right after school ended, Yu quickly began to clear up his things while telling the others that he was busy that day… yet as he was about to move from his desk, Mr. Morooka entered the room and approached him with that lousy look on his face. "Hey, Narukami! Did you know this week is health week? And you're not part of the Student Health Association! In other words, you're a lazy bum! I hate lazy, good-for-nothing kids like you! So I'm signing you up to take the place of a sick member!"
Chie frowned at that. "That's not fair…"
"Quiet, you!" Mr. Morooka glared at the silver-haired boy. "I don't know what school's like for you big city kids, but here, it's every student's duty to pitch in! Don't tell me you're not enough of a man to do something this easy."
"I… fine… I'll do it." Yu had no other choice but to do as his teacher said, even though today was one of the most important days in his life. The bloody asshole teacher had signed him up too – he can't run away from it. No excuses can take him out.
"I see, I see. Then go straight to the infirmary, right now. They should be expecting you, since I already told them you'd do it. Thank me!" The teacher then left. Yu sighed and decided to head down to the infirmary.
"Um, good luck…" Chie called out to him.
"…Thanks." The silver-haired boy soon left the classroom.
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
Yu solemnly entered the infirmary, seeing that there were other students inside.
"Oh, Yu-kun, was it? The transfer student, right…? Did you get hurt or something?" One of the female students asked him. "No, no… I've been sent here to replace a sick member," Yu told them.
"Thank goodness. We were running low on people. We need to check around the school to see if anyone needs help, but someone has to stay and watch this room. Yu-kun, would you mind staying here and dealing with anyone that stops by? No touching the medicine, of course. "
Yu tried not to sigh as he answered. Of course, he minded – today was his grandmother's death anniversary. He's supposed to go somewhere quiet to pray for her, not be stuck in this… infirmary. "Not at all… what do I have to do?"
"If someone who's hurt shows up, use the first aid kit. The only other things you'd have to worry about are salesmen and phone calls. They're pretty uncommon, though."
"…Alright."
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
So the Student Health Association then split up throughout the school… Yu waited for the time to pass, pacing around the room anxiously. How much longer does he have to stay here…?
Then, the sound of the door opening broke him out of his thoughts. He glanced over at the door, noticing a man dressed in a suit. "Hello, I'm Kitao from Santo Pharmaceuticals." The man looked around for a moment. "Hm, aren't there any adults here? Could you deliver a message for me, then?"
Yu nodded. "What is it?"
"Your school placed an order for gauze, but I need to know if the order can wait until the month after next. Give my regards to your teacher."
"I will." The silver-haired boy quickly grabbed a note from a table nearby to write the information down after the man left. If he's going to be stuck here, he'll at least do his job right. But damn if his urge to just storm out of the room wasn't so strong right now…
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
Eventually, the other students returned.
"Thanks for your help. Anything happen?" One of the asked. "A representative from the pharmaceutical company came while you were out," Yu answered them.
"Oh, we should have Sensei call him back. Do you remember his name?"
Yu then looked at the note where he had written down the details. "It was… Kitao from Santo Inc."
"Oh, about the gauze, huh? What did he say?"
"Can it come in two months?"
"Hmmmm… got it. I'll call Sensei."
So the student went to relay the message to the teacher in charge.
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
After that student returned, the small group started to discuss about what they found while they went around the school. Yu did notice that they talked about a student that wasn't here by the name of Konishi… and after a small while, someone came to the infirmary.
"I'm sorry I'm late." The boy had light brown hair, reminiscent of… someone Yu had seen before.
"N-No, it's okay! You don't have to come, really. Helping out at your parents' store is hard work, right? We have a replacement, so don't worry," One of the students told him.
"…I don't want to be the only one…"
"Well… you can help Yu-kun clean up this room, then. We'll go report to the teacher, so why don't you clean a little and go home, okay? W-Well, goodbye!"
Everyone except Yu and the brunet left the infirmary. The silver-haired boy was a bit uneasy at the blank stare the other student was giving him. "…I'm Konishi… a first year. You knew Saki Konishi? I'm her brother. You're friends with… Hanamura, right?"
"…Yes, I am," Yu answered slowly.
"...I hate him… and you, too."
An awkward silence fell between the two after those words were spoken. Saki's brother looked at him with disinterest. "Can I go home now…?"
Yu stared at him with a bit of hesitance… before nodding. "Sure… you can go…" He's going to be terribly late now, but he couldn't bring himself to stay another moment in this infirmary with Saki's brother, not with the tense air between them now.
"…Goodbye." The younger boy then left, leaving Yu to clean up the place on his own. When he did finish, he made sure that the other members didn't return before finally rushing out of the infirmary and the school.
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
"Damn it!" Yu cursed to himself as he ran through the flood plains. The sun was already going down… it'll be past his curfew by the time he reaches the shrine at the central shopping district. Slowly down, he panted heavily while he placed his hands on his knees.
He's too late.
Holding back the stinging feeling of tears in his eyes, he just grunted and rubbed his eyes before any drops of tears could fall. Now what is he going to do? He would always let his grandfather's secretary do the visit for the grave while he'll do a small prayer for his grandmother… but for once, he was in a place foreign to him despite being here for nearly two months now.
A shaky breath escaped his lips as he straightened himself, letting his silver-grey eyes look up to the sight above him. The stars were beginning to break through the evening sky… the day was slowly turning to night now.
…The gentle sound of the river nearby played in his ears.
Maybe… he could pray for her there. It's quiet… and peaceful. No one would be there at this time. He may not know the proper way to pray for a person who has already passed on, but… it'll have to do.
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
Standing in front of the flowing river, Yu quietly prayed for his grandmother. She was the only one who didn't care if he was a girl – what was important was that he was her grandchild… and she gave him the love and care he so dearly wanted and needed in his younger days.
Yet, she passed on when he was in his second year of school. She had inadvertently left him to deal with his grandfather's antics on his own, and the pressure from literally everyone to be the perfect child. He doesn't blame her for it, though.
He can only blame himself for his weakness, and it's a weakness he must not ever show to anyone else.
After a few moments in the soft sound of the streaming water, Yu eventually finished praying for his grandmother. He got up from where he knelt, ignoring the pain of the stones by the river pressing into his knees the whole time. "Rest in peace, grandmother…" he whispered, turning to leave.
…Then, Yu quietly began to hum a song that his grandmother once sang to him, with the tune being drowned out by the noise of the river.
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
"Where have you been, Yu?"
Yu had expected that his uncle would question him for being out so late the moment he entered the house. "I had to help the Student Health Association. A teacher signed me up without telling me."
Dojima sighed. "That shouldn't take too long, though. You came home when the sun had already gone down – you were doing something in the time after you left school. What is it?" he asked again sternly. Yu somehow felt the need to stand his ground. "It's nothing to worry about, uncle."
"Don't give me that. Tell me why, Yu."
The silver-haired boy gripped his hands into fists, trying to hold back the rising urge to yell at his uncle. "I can't…"
Dojima frowned at his nephew. The last thing he wanted to happen was Yu going back to his delinquent ways – he knew exactly how the boy acted back in junior high. "Do you want me to shorten your curfew time, Yu?"
"No…!"
"Then tell me why!"
"It's the damn day my grandmother died!"
Yu's sudden yell silenced his uncle immediately.
Nanako looked at the two in worry. "Why are you two fighting…?" she asked, almost like she was going to cry. The teenage boy stared at his cousin as he finally realised what he just did, his mind clearing up from the fog of despair that clouded it. "N-no… we're not, Nanako, I… I'm just…" He didn't know how to exactly describe how he felt.
It was… a jumbled mess of emotions.
A sigh was the only thing that left Yu's lips as he went over to Nanako to hug her. "I'm just a bit… sad. Something bad happened today, but I'm not fighting with your dad."
Nanako hugged him back, looking tearful. "Really, big bro…?"
"Really."
Dojima looked on in silence as his nephew and daughter hugged each other for a while, until the latter felt sleepy… so he let Yu take her to bed first.
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
They had a talk.
"So… today is your grandmother's death anniversary…?" Dojima asked his nephew with a concerned look. Yu wordlessly nodded, his eyes looking tired. "It's been about nine years… I was out late because… I wanted to pray for her before I got home."
"…You could've just told me, Yu. We could pray for her here."
"You're too busy, uncle." The silver-haired boy bitterly smiled. "My problems are too much of a burden to put on others. Plus, I don't want Nanako to mourn over someone else…" He knew the reason why this family seemed broken. He didn't want to break it even further.
His response made his uncle frown slightly. "You shouldn't think that way… it's not healthy for a kid like you to handle things all by yourself."
"I know. I still have to, uncle. My grandfather wishes… no, he wants to have an heir that is capable of doing things on his own."
Dojima sighed, shaking his head. "I still don't understand why your mother just makes you go through all this… but let me tell you something – no one can stand under that pressure for so long. One day, you will break, and you'll need someone to help you get back up."
Yu stared at his uncle with a blank expression. "…I believe that I can avoid that from happening." He's lived this long.
"Don't be so confident," The man advised him with a serious tone. "It can happen one day. I'm just warning you to be careful."
"I'll… keep that in mind." Yu then glanced at the clock and saw the time, deciding to use it as an excuse for him to go up to his room. His uncle nodded and told him goodnight, and soon the silver-haired boy went up to his room to run away from the growing awkwardness between them.
He lost his composure back there.
…He shouldn't let it happen again. Ever.