V

Monday

April 8, 2013 — After School

Overcast

The school day came to a close, and still no sign of Tachibana. Shou was growing worried.

He walked down the wide, white-walled, dark-tiled halls of Morigami. Across from the classrooms lay a set of large windows that let in copious daylight. Shou shielded his eyes from the glare and headed down the stairs toward the building's lobby. After he'd come to an understanding with Hayabusa — no, Kouta — at lunch, he'd filled him in on everything that happened with Tachibana. They'd decided to meet up at the front of Classroom Building A after school, so they could look for her if she still hadn't shown up.

As Shou descended the stairs, he overheard two male students.

"You heard about Kudo-sensei?" one guy asked.

"Yeah, he was a no-show this morning," the other replied. "No one knows where he is."

The first student shivered. "You think he's one of the Vanished?"

"That's just a dumb rumor."

Shou cleared his throat. The Vanished sounded ominous. He asked what it was.

"You haven't heard?" the first student asked. "Supposedly, people have been going missing around Morigami."

"Yeah, supposedly," said the second.

"It's true," said the first. "My friend's cousin's friend. He disappeared."

"Sure he did," said the second guy. He turned to Shou. "Anyway, that's not even the most ridiculous part. The rumor goes that if you ride the metro at night, you'll hear the voices of the Vanished over the train's PA system. But all ghostly, you know."

A queasy, nervous feeling wormed its way through Shou's stomach. Any mention of the metro reminded him of that nightmare with the shadows in the tunnel. He thanked the students for the information and then took the remaining steps two at a time, trying to ignore the cold sweat that had broken on his forehead.

At the bottom of the stairs, he came to an expansive lobby. A huge bay window at the back let in yet more sunshine. There was a large school store installation, with bright, cheerful lights. On its shelves were textbooks; notebooks; pens; paper; snacks; drinks; first aid supplies; and a myriad other odds and ends relevant to school life, from football helmets to fencing epees.

He found Kouta by the shoe cubbies. As always, the guy had his shinai, this time in the shinai bag slung over his shoulder.

Since Tachibana had said earlier that she wasn't feeling well, Shou suggested they check the nurse's office. Maybe she had shown up there.

"I'll show you the way," Kouta said, "but, uh, I'm gonna wait outside, bro."

Shou asked him why.

"The school doctor is, um . . . how do I put this? Predatory?"

Shou's eyebrows shot up. Predatory?

"You'll just have to see for yourself," Kouta said.

Kouta took Shou down a corridor on the first floor, in the opposite direction of the stairs Shou had come down. The passed the faculty lounge, and the main office. At the end of the hallway was a door with a sign labeled "Doctor."

Shou nervously opened the door.

To Shou's surprise, inside there appeared to be a full medical suite. There was an intake area, with couches and chairs and magazines. A front desk with a nurse. Behind it, a small hallway with a series of doors, and a placard denoting Patient Rooms A through E. Luckily, this crazy doctor lady was nowhere to be seen. He exhaled and . . .

. . . Felt Kouta shove him inside. He heard the door close behind him.

Panic rose up in Shou, but he clamped down on it. It couldn't possibly be as bad as Kouta was making it out to be. Could it?

Legs wobbly, he walked up to the front desk. He asked politely if Tachibana had come by today.

"Questions about my patients can be addressed to me directly."

Shou spun.

In front of him was the vampiest doctor he'd ever seen. Beneath her white doctor's coat, she wore a red dress that showcased an inappropriate amount of cleavage. Her dark hair was done up with chopsticks, exposing her neck and collarbone. Her eyes were accented with heavy black eyeliner and dark purple eye shadow. She looked Shou up and down and smiled hungrily at him, showing off what he thought were unnaturally pointy canines.

Shou backed up a step.

"Well, aren't you a delightful specimen?" the doctor asked. "I'm Dr. Nagihara Hiromi. But call me Hiromi-chan if you wish." She winked.

Shou was pretty sure he'd be sticking with "Nagihara-sensei."

"What's your name, young man? Tell me what brings you to my clinic."

Shou introduced himself and asked whether Tachibana had been in earlier that day.

"Shou-kun, eh? Let me think. Tachibana. Tachibana . . ." Dr. Nagihara mused. "That doesn't ring a bell. Sorry."

Fearing for his well-being, and his very soul, Shou thanked Nagihara-sensei profusely and inched his way toward the door.

"Not so fast," Dr. Nagihara said. She strode up to him, her hips swaying. "You look very weary." She peeled back Shou's eyelids. Her full bosom hung in his face; Shou felt faint, like he was going to pass out or have a nosebleed. "I practice traditional eastern medicine as well as the western sciences, you know. All illness derives from depleted vital energy, and yours is very depleted. I can tell."

Shou gulped.

"Fortunately, there are many very pleasurable ways to replenish it." Nagihara ran a finger down his chest.

"Um . . . thank-you-very-much-goodbye!" Shou blurted.

Then he fled into the hall; Dr. Nagihara's tittering laughter followed him.

Outside, Shou leaned against the wall, panting, his face ashen.

"So?" Kouta asked him. "Do you still have all your parts?"

"That's not what you should be asking about!" Shou turned bright red.

"Ah, right. Sorry. Anything on Tachibana?"

Shou shook his head.

Kouta groaned. "Man, where could she have gotten off to?" Then, suddenly, realization dawned on his face. "I know! Bro, let's ask Oshima-san. If she went anywhere outside of school, he'll know."

Shou looked at him questioningly. Oshima-san?

"He's the trolley driver," Kouta said. "Come on."

Just under ten minutes later, Shou and Kouta boarded the 16:00 trolley. They decided to wait until the car emptied out a bit before they talked to Oshima-san, so they sat in the back and enjoyed the scenery as the trolley headed down the pathway to the dormitories.

Shou continued to feel uneasy about the rumors he'd heard, the people called "the Vanished." He decided to bring it up to Kouta.

"The Vanished? That's a bunch of superstitious nonsense, bro," Kouta said. "Every year it's something. My first year here, they said the first floor girls' bathroom was haunted. The next year, the rumor was that if you went out by the Morigami statue at midnight, it would wink at you. Now it's the Vanished. It's totally made up."

Shou nodded. Of course it was made up. He hadn't actually been thinking that it was real, had he? Those dreams were really getting the better of him, making him think things he never would have thought if he was in his right mind. These dumb rumors only played into those fears. Best he put them out of mind.

After the dorms, the trolley looped back around toward the school entrance. They passed through the front gate and into the city. The idyllic school campus gave way to parks and well-groomed city blocks, populated by young men and women walking dogs and pushing their children in strollers. Oshima-san stopped the trolley at each of the three nearest metro lines — through them, there was access to just about anywhere in the city.

After the third and final metro stop, Oshima-san swung the trolley back toward the academy for his next round. Shou and Kouta were the only ones left. They moved up to the front of the vehicle.

"Oi, Oshima-san," said Kouta.

"You kids just along for the ride, or what?" Oshima asked.

Shou explained how they were looking for Tachibana.

"Yeah, I saw Tachibana-san earlier today. Dropped her off at the Aragawa station. She's probably just visiting Kudo-san again."

"Wait a second," Kouta said. "She went to visit him, like, at his home?"

"Of course," Oshima-san said.

Shou shared a dubious look with Kouta. Could it be true, what those girls had said about Tachibana? Could she really have an inappropriate relationship with this Kudo-sensei?

"You know where Kudo-sensei lives?" Kouta asked.

Oshima nodded. "On days where there aren't many riders, I usually drop him off at his door step."

Shou asked Oshima-san for directions to Kudo-sensei's. He said the Student Council President had tasked him with making sure Tachibana was all right, which wasn't exactly the truth, but it was close enough. Oshima agreed to give them directions from the Aragawa line.

They were dropped off right in front of the metro station, heralded by a bright white sign with two blue "M"s superimposed on each other, for Morigami Metro. "Here," Oshima-san said, "I have a spare metro card. For the first time rider." He grinned.

Shou gratefully accepted the card.

Inside, the station was a clean run of gray-tiled walls and floors, with florescent lights overhead. Shou found himself worrying again about his weird dream. There was no need to be afraid of the subway, was there? No matter how many times he told himself it was silly, he couldn't shake his unease.

They caught the northbound train, charging into the station like a massive metal bullet. Inside, the car was packed, and he and Kouta were forced to stand.

They rode for two stops, then disembarked.

No evil shadows came to eat them.

Above, Shou found that they were in the grittier, more urban section of the city. Sidewalks were worn; bits of discarded litter tossed in the light breeze like fallen leaves. On the block just outside the subway lay a strip of eateries, from takoyaki to Wild Duck Burger.

"We should stop for food after," Kouta said. "You've gotta try the Majesty Bowl at Ramen no Ou."

Shou chuckled at the place's name, "Ramen King." Still, food was a good idea. He hadn't had time to eat much at lunch, and his stomach felt hollow. Hopefully they would find Tachibana, and she would join them.

Following Oshima's instructions, they walked the couple blocks north to their destination. Building 2 was a small townhouse, exactly what might be expected for a teacher at a prestigious school. Shou and Kouta walked up the steps to the front door. Kouta's finger hovered over the buzzer. "Whaddya think?" he asked. "Should we do this?"

Shou's belly churned with anxiety, but he nodded.

Kouta pressed down on the buzzer.

The seconds ticked by.

Shou shuffled his feet, fidgeted with his hands. Why did he feel so nervous? Maybe it was the thought of intruding on a school professor. Or perhaps it was the possibility of finding Tachibana had compromised herself somehow. She really didn't seem like the type who would do something that, but really he'd known her for all of a day. He didn't have a clue what Tachibana was actually like. All he had were impressions and assumptions.

"Hello?" asked a female voice.

Shou and Kouta shared a look. "Is that . . .?" Kouta asked.

Shou nodded.

"Hey, uh, is that you, Tachibana?" Kouta said into the buzzer's microphone. "It's Kouta and Shou, er, Tanimoto. We—"

Click.

Kouta turned to Shou. "Did she just hang up on me?"

Shou shrugged, feeling bewildered. If Tachibana refused to talk to them, what could they do? They would have little choice but to head back to the dorm, he thought. Shou was about to try the buzzer himself when he heard the sound of someone unlocking the door. It swung open.

Tachibana stood in the doorway. "What are you guys doing here?" she demanded.

Kouta grimaced and looked at Shou. "You tell her," he said.

Gee, thanks big guy.

Shou turned to Tachibana, meeting her gaze despite the anger there. "We were worried about you," he said honestly.

"You were . . . worried about me?" she repeated.

Kouta nodded emphatically.

She sighed heavily, her whole body slumping as if their visit was the most onerous thing in the world. And yet, Shou was certain he saw the hint of a smile on her lips. "I guess you guys can come inside," she said.

Kudo-sensei's home was cozy, tastefully furnished in a traditional style. Tachibana led them into a small living room, replete with a futon, and a low table surrounded by zabuton cushions. Wall-mounted shelves held framed photographs, as well as Kudo's diplomas.

At the table sat a pale, drawn-looking woman. She was probably in her late twenties, but at the moment she looked older due to her red-rimmed eyes, the worry etched on her face. She sipped a cup of tea, and her hand shook.

"This is Kudo Misaki-san, Kudo-sensei's wife. Misaki-san, these are my friends. They're going to help me find your husband." She glanced at Shou and Kouta, determination burning. "Isn't that right, guys?"

Shou could do nothing but nod.

"Anyway," Tachibana said, "they just came to meet me so I wouldn't have to go home alone. We're going to find him, Misaki-san. I promise."

Kudo's wife sniffled into a handkerchief. "Arigato, Emi-chan," she said.

They bid Kudo Misaki farewell and headed outside.

On the front steps, Kouta asked Tachibana, "Mind telling us what that's all about?"

"Since you guys are sticking your noses in where they don't belong," she said, "you can wait until we get some food. I'm starving."

Shou smiled. Food sounded like a very good idea.

Ramen no Ou was a quaint, intimate place — the opposite of what Shou expected from its grandiose name. The interior was all wood, and seating was limited to a polished dark wooden bars set around the circumference of the restaurant, with accompanying stools. At present, the restaurant was packed, and they had to wait several minutes for seats.

"Are you sure this is worth it?" Tachibana asked.

"Trust me," Kouta said.

Kouta ordered two Majesty Bowls, one for Shou, and one for himself. Shou wasn't sure what he was getting into, but the dish's name was, well, majestic. And the place was clearly popular. It was worth giving a shot.

Tachibana ordered a small shoyu ramen with chicken and boiled egg.

"Aw, live a little, Emi-chan," Kouta said.

"I don't think I can eat as much as you, senpai," she said. She smiled faintly.

A little bit later, a steaming, overflowing bowl of ramen was set before Kouta. It was filled with beef, chicken, pork, leeks, onions, bean sprouts, and more; five halves of boiled egg floated in the broth; and, of course, it was piled with tons upon tons of noodles.

Another of these monstrosities was put in front of Shou.

He stared at his Majesty Bowl in awe. How the heck had he let Kouta talk him into ordering this? He didn't think he'd be able to finish it in three separate sittings, much less one. As he stared into the depths of the bowl, he found himself mesmerized by the swirls of the ramen and the chunks of the meat. The smell of beef stock in the broth was strong. He felt like he was being pulled headlong into the Noodle Universe.

Could he possibly finish this? He needed understanding to know his limits, knowledge to control his pace, courage to face the unending sea of noodles, and the diligence to persevere through this colossal challenge.

It soon became clear that Shou was not yet strong enough the conquer the trial that was the Majesty Bowl.

Yet in attempting this task, he felt his personality had grown tremendously.

They finished their meals in silence. Shou became acutely aware of his many questions, waiting to be answered. He knew Tachibana must be aware that they were expecting her to explain. But he didn't want to push her. For whatever reason, he could see that she was uncomfortable talking about this. He wanted to tell her that it was okay, that they were all friends here, but . . . was that really true?

Why was it that he felt such a profound connection to Tachibana? And to Kouta, as well?

Even though they'd only met a day ago, Shou really did feel like they were his friends. Like he was bonded to them somehow . . .

Movement caught his attention. A fluttering of azure wings outside the ramen shop. A shimmering, sapphire butterfly floated past Shou's eyes.

Though a pane of glass separated him from the butterfly, Shou reached for it.

"Hey, are you listening, Tanimoto?"

Shou snapped back to attention. Tachibana was looking at him earnestly. He gave her a puzzled look.

"Are you ready for me to explain what's going on?" she asked.

Shou looked to Kouta, and they both nodded.

"I guess I should start at the beginning," Tachibana said. "Like, the way, way beginning." She stared into her mostly empty ramen bowl, biting her bottom lip. "Well. Um. I'm an orphan, you see."

An orphan?

Shou felt a pang of sympathy. Things were tough with just his dad, but at least they had each other. He couldn't imagine what it must have been like for her.

He offered her his best reassuring smile.

"Ugh, don't look at me like that, guys," Tachibana said. She turned red. "That's why I don't like telling anyone. People always look at me . . . just like how you're looking at me."

Shou averted his eyes, feeling like a fool. He hadn't wanted to hurt her feelings, only offer his support. He needed to improve at expressing himself properly.

He looked over at Kouta, who was frowning and deliberately not looking at Tachibana, instead stirring the remnants of his food with his chopsticks.

Neither of them had expected to hear such a personal confession.

"A-anyway . . ." Tachibana said. She folded her hands in her lap and took a deep breath. "Haruo-niisan, erm, Kudo-sensei . . . grew up in the same orphanage I did. Even after he turned eighteen, he always came back and visited us little kids. He's a brother to me. He's my . . . precious family."

Shou wanted to comfort her. Take her hand. Lend her his strength.

But he didn't have enough courage.

Tachibana looked like she was fighting back tears, but she went on. "We spoke on the phone last night, about how excited I was to finally have him in class. He was at the school, going over his lesson plan." She sniffed. "But something's been up with him lately. He said he hasn't been sleeping well recently, that he's been having nightmares. He said some . . . weird things. Like that his mind was playing tricks on him, making him think shadows were following him when he rode the metro."

Shou shivered.

"Haruo-niisan told me he was probably going to take a cab home," Tachibana said, "but when he spoke to Misaki-san later, he told her he was going to leave in five minutes and take the subway." Her hands balled into fists. "And then he left his phone at the school, and disappeared." She turned to them, her eyes watery, but her expression full of conviction. "I can't explain why. But I just know that something is wrong. Something bad has happened to him. I can feel it."

Shou watched her intently. He couldn't very well discount her premonitions when he'd been having so many strange feelings himself. Was it possible that something serious had happened to Kudo-sensei?

Tachibana covered her face with her hands. "I'm sorry, you guys. I must sound like I'm crazy. Or just freaking out."

Shou smiled at her. "What can we do to help?" he asked.

Monday

April 8, 2013 — Evening

Overcast

After paying for their meals — which amounted to a whopping ¥3,500 for Shou — they left Ramen no Ou. Kouta had gotten his bowl for free, since he'd managed to eat the whole thing.

"Sorry, bro," Kouta said. "How was I supposed to know you wouldn't be able to finish?"

Inwardly, Shou groaned. How could Kouta not have known? To finish that Majesty Bowl was an insurmountable task for normal human beings!

After eating, they stopped by the local police precinct and asked if there had been any incidents or accidents involving someone with Kudo-sensei's description. They turned up nothing. Tachibana told the local officers that she was Kudo's foster sister, and filed a missing person's report.

Afterward, they tried calling the hospitals to see if Kudo had shown up there.

But still, they found nothing.

By then it was getting dark. "We should probably head back to the dorm soon," Kouta said. "We can pick this up tomorrow."

"Yeah," Tachibana said. "I guess . . . maybe he'll have turned up by then. Or we'll have something new to go on."

Shou nodded. He wished he could have done more to help. He felt powerless right now.

Tachibana called Kudo Misaki on her cell phone and let her know the bad news. Then the three of them headed back to the Aragawa line station. Now that the after-work rush had passed, the platform was much calmer. After five minutes, the train arrived.

They boarded, and managed to grab seats.

"It just doesn't make any sense," Tachibana said. "Where could he have gone? Without telling anyone?"

"I'm sure it's something silly," said Kouta. "Maybe he forgot his keys, and uh, couldn't get into the house, couldn't call because he left his cell phone too, so . . . he decided to stay in a hotel?"

"That doesn't explain why he didn't show up for class today," Tachibana said.

The lights on the train began to flicker.

Flickaflickaflickaflickaflick.

Shadows danced on the walls.

Shou glanced around. An inexplicable sick feeling squirmed its way into his abdomen.

Flickaflickaflickaflickaflick.

What was this?

The atmosphere had changed. The air felt like it was pressing in around him, noxious and heavy.

Flickaflickaflickaflickaflick.

Shou felt a hand on his arm. He found Tachibana clinging to him, her eyes wide. "Something's not right," she said.

"What the hell's happening?" Kouta shouted. "Quit messing with the lights!"

Then, as suddenly as the flickering had begun, it stopped.

Shou took a deep breath and rose from his seat. Whatever was happening, it wasn't over; of that, he was certain. Though the lights had steadied, their illumination was much dimmer, leaving the train car subsumed in shadow. Further, the light had taken on a sickly, greenish cast. Outside the train's windows, he could see only darkness.

He looked over the car.

It was empty.

"Where did everyone go?" Tachibana asked.

Splashes of something dried and flaky and blackish covered the walls of the car. Kouta grimaced. "Is this . . . blood?"

Fear spread its way through Shou's limbs. This was it. Whatever it was that he'd been waiting for. Whatever it was that he'd been scared of since he started having those dreams.

There was an electric whine as the train's PA system turned on.

"Hello there," a voice crackled over the speakers.

Tachibana turned toward the source of the voice with a look of terror.

"This is Kudo Haruo-san speaking," said the voice, distorted by static. "I'll be your conductor this evening."

"Haruo-niisan!" Tachibana yelled. "Haruo, can you hear me?"

"It is my pleasure to take you all to the place of my youth," Kudo's voice said. "Please enjoy your stay!"

"Is this the Vanished?" Kouta asked. "This can't be happening!"

"Haruo-niisan!" Tachibana screamed.

Screeeeeeeee!

They were all thrown back into their seats as the train jerked to a halt.

An automated voice played over the PA. "Final stop: Morigami Home for Children. Please watch your step as you leave the train."

"Oh God," Tachibana whispered.

Slowly, the doors opened . . .