Chapter 9: Peaceful Evening.

Shun was walking back home. He had already taken Chouko back to the hospital. He felt safe knowing that she was safe. As he walked in a street, a man in black suit followed him…

The former policeman did sense something, he did feel that he was being followed. He stopped, and his stalker stopped as well, hoping to dissolve his suspects by not moving. Still feeling uneasy, Shun went on his way. As he passed in front of a window, he could see a man following him, reflected in the glass. The man in black didn't pay any attention to it, but Shun did.

After some time, the black-haired young man entered a small path between two buildings. His stalker followed him, but he couldn't see him at the end of the path. He went in there as well, increasing the pace of his walk, until he was in front of a small house's door. It was then that he was pinned on it from behind by none other than the man he was following.

"What do you want, creep?" Shun asked, in a ruff voice, filled with raging irritation.

"Hold on, I just need to talk to you!" the man tried to justify his actions. However, that explanation wasn't enough to calm down the former policeman.

"Why should I trust you?" he inquired.

"It's for my boss, he wants to see you!" he replied. At those words, Shun decided to let him off the wall, guided by his wish to know more. The man adjusted his suit and tie and pulled out a black calling card from an inner pocket of his jacket. There was a logo printed on it, the unmistakable logo of Ryoki Corporation.

"I work for Ryoki Goro." the man in black explained sensibly. "He ordered me to search for you."

The mere memory of the Ryoki name made the former policeman narrow his eyes in displeasure.

"What does your boss want from me?" he asked the man in black, still in his frustrated tone.

"He wants you to come to his office at 11 pm." was the answer. A tense silence came to pass.

"I'll come." Shun coldly replied. "Now go away." With nothing more left to say, the man in black walked away, his job done.

Meanwhile, Kazuki had come back home after helping out Akiha. He was sit, reading a book of poetry from one of his drawers. The words capable of summoning images in the minds of readers… He was incredibly fascinated by anything that could spark thoughts and emotions in him, image, word, or anything else.

Suddenly, he received another phone call. As he saw the name of the one making it, he cracked a smile. He answered.

"Hello?" he said.

"Oh, hello, Kazuki-kun!" It was Sayaka. "I'm just getting out from the origami club, so I was in the mood to talk a little..."

"Sure, why not!" Kazuki answered.

"It's kind of an apology for not coming today..." the girl said, her tone becoming sadder. "I'm sorry..."

"Don't worry." the gray-haired boy tried to reassure her. "I would have liked to see you, but if you feel tired from club activity, I understand. Your voice will be just fine, for now. Did you have fun?"

"Oh, yes! A lot!" Sayaka replied, happily "You know how much I love origami! You can say many things with only a small piece of paper..."

"And what about writing, Isn't that a way as well?" Kazuki attempted a joke, and it seemed to work, since Sayaka had giggled at the statement.

"Maybe, but I said just the paper, nothing else..." Sayaka said. "What about you, Kazuki-kun?"

"I'm fine, thanks." he replied. He couldn't bring himself to stay silent, he felt obligated to say something, but not entirely…

"I had to help out someone after school..."

"And who was it?" the redhead questioned her friend on the phone out of curiosity.

"Tohno Akiha-san. I think you know her." he answered.

"Oh yes!" she replied. "I do know her. She is really close to my family, to my mom and my aunt in particular..."

The boy stood silent at those words. In a silence of melancholy and reflection. What the girl had just said wasn't new to him. Sayaka then changed the subject of the talk, much to Kazuki's relief.

"Umm… You know that in a week we'll hold the school origami festival, right?" she asked, a bit shyly. "If you would come, we all of the club would be grateful..."

"Yes." Kazuki accepted. "I'll be there. It's something I won't miss."

"Really? Great!" Sayaka replied, happily. "We'll put our best origami on display!"

"Well, isn't that what the festival is about to begin with?" Another pun. They both giggled at it.

"Sorry, Sayaka..." the gray-haired boy said "I'm being terrible with puns..."

"It's alright!" the redhead replied happily. "They aren't that bad." At that comment, he couldn't help but smile.

"Please, say hi to your mom and dad from me!" Kazuki asked a favor to his friend.

"I will!" Sayaka accepted, as joyously as ever. "See you tomorrow, Kazuki-kun!"

"Yes. See you tomorrow, Sayaka." After saying those words, the boy hung up. He then sat on a chair in his kitchen, in pensive mood. He would have liked Sayaka to come for the evening, there was no denying it…

"But all for the better..." he murmured.

He rose his hand to his face, the familiar blue glow appearing on it.

"Yes, today something happened..."

Melancholy was on his face as he rose his head and gazed at the window.

...

Meanwhile, after a brief walk, Sayaka Inoue arrived home.

"I'm home!" she said brightly as she entered the house.

"Welcome back, Sayaka!" her parents greeted her back. The girl ran at them and hugged them.

"How's my darling little flower?" her father asked, affectionately. He had dark brown hair and hazelnut eyes.

"I'm fine, dad!" the girl happily replied as she was released from her parents' embrace.

"Have a bath and join us for dinner, Sayaka-chan." her mother added with a bright smile on her face "We can't wait to hear how your day went!" She had teal eyes and red hair, just like her daughter. Just, hers was shorter, while Sayaka's was longer.

After the loving reunion with her parents, the girl had a bath, as she was told, taking her time to relax. When she was done, she joined her parents at dinner. The members of the family discussed while they were eating.

"So, how did school go today?" her father asked.

"It went very well!" the girl said "I even had the Origami Club, today!" The statement made a smile appear on both her parents' faces. They knew how much their daughter loved origami.

"Do you know of any new gossip in school?" her mother asked, curious.

"Nothing new, besides Chiyoko-chan having her mind set on Hans-kun..."

"Hans Ritter?" her father exclaimed in surprise "Your friend is still bent on him? I've heard that her father doesn't approve of him..."

"Yeah, you're right, dad..." she replied thoughtfully "But even so, she loves him..."

"Speaking of which, what about Aokage-kun?" her mother asked, still smiling. At that question, Sayaka couldn't help but blush…

"W-Well..." she uttered, embarrassed "I saw him at school and talked with him on the phone, nothing more..."

"Hmmm..." Her father had a slightly worried expression on his face "I don't like it when we talk about him..." Those words made concern build up in the girl as well.

"Dad..."

"Don't get me wrong, He's not the problem. I do know that he's a respectable young man..." he mused, still with an expression of worry "It's just that, whenever I think of some boy snatching you away from me..." A chill ran down his spine at the thought.

"Darling!" her mother frowned "Please stop it!" Then, she turned to face her daughter and asked "What did you talk about, anyway?"

"Well, he told me that he had to lend a hand to Akiha-san, and I told him about the upcoming school origami festival..."

"Akiha-sama?" astonishment was written on the red-haired woman's face. She asked her daughter "Did he tell you what he helped her out with?"

"No..." Sayaka said, her eyes shifting downwards. "I didn't ask him, sorry."

"It's ok, Sayaka-chan." her mother reassured. It was then that she remembered something. Something that couldn't help but crack a smile on her face.

"Oh, but he does wish you a good evening!" she said, saying hello to her parents on behalf of her friend. The words made her parents smile as well, even if a glimpse of jealousy could be seen in her father's eyes.

After dinner, the family decided to call it a day.

"Goodnight mom! Goodnight, dad!" she affectionately told her parents

"Goodnight, Sayaka-chan!" they lovingly replied.

The girl got in her bed. Her eyes were fixated on an object near her lamp. It was a butterfly origami, with purple and blue wings, crafted by her own hands as a lucky charm. She slowly fell asleep while watching it.

Meanwhile, Sayaka's parents were going off to bed. Her father noticed the worry staining his wife's teal eyes.

"Something's wrong?" he asked her.

"Oh, Haruki..." she was taken aback from her husband's intervention, but still, she answered. "I was thinking about Akiha-sama..."

"Hisui..." he held her in his arms. "If you're worried about her and your sister, we can visit her mansion tomorrow, after Sayaka's back from school..." he smiled warmly to her as she rose her face to meet his gaze.

"Do you wish to take Sayaka with us?" she asked.

"Well, we both know how fragile both are, despite putting all of their effort in trying to hide it, so I figured that some joy could help, especially regarding Kohaku-san..."

"Onee-chan..." a look of remembrance was now in her eyes. Kohaku's spirits lifted up whenever her niece visited her, and Hisui knew it.

"Don't worry." Haruki strengthened his embrace "I'm sure they're doing just fine."

Hisui smiled to her husband and buried her face in his chest once more. He made her feel safe and comfortable. Even if there was still uncertainty in her, she felt hopeful and confident with him.

"I hope so..."