Saturday morning had come, also to the Tachibana family in their state of worry. The time was a little past 8 and Makoto was sitting in bed. Although he had made a serious attempt to sleep, the worry he felt had done all it could to keep him awake, and succeeded.
He had gotten a call from a worn out Rei a little over half an hour ago. The 20 years-old had informed that he and Nagisa were on their way to the train station in Osaka. They would be home in approximately three hours from that point. Makoto had asked if they were both okay and Rei had said they would probably be once Nagisa got over being grumpy from being dragged out of bed at such an early hour. Makoto had managed to crack a smile at that and told them to be safe.
It hadn't been the worst of Makoto's worries though. His biggest concern had been Haruka. He wondered what had happened to him. He wondered where he was and if he was even still alive. He had spoken to Miyano-san on the phone late last night. She said there was a high risk that Haruka had been taken by the serial killer that had been around in the area lately.
A knock was heard on Makoto's bedroom door and Kisumi entered without awaiting an answer. He never did, so Makoto had expected it.
"You didn't sleep again," Kisumi said in a concerned tone.
"No," Makoto said. "Too much on my mind," he attempted a smile.
Kisumi responded on the smile. "You are worried about Haru, aren't you?" he asked.
"Yeah," Makoto turned and placed his feet on the floor.
"You have no reason," Kisumi said. "I may not know what he is thinking most of the time, but I know he has a strong loyalty towards you. He will even escape dangerous situation just to come home to you,"
"Do you know that?" Makoto asked.
"I have never seen it, but it easy to read from most of his actions and from the look he gives you when you're not having that strange communicating thing through your eyes," Kisumi laughed a bit at the reference to Makoto's and Haruka's preferred way of communication.
Makoto nodded.
"Who knows, maybe you should call him to check how far he is on his way home by now," Another laugh escaped Kisumi at his own joke. "I'll go make some breakfast in the meantime. You just show up when you feel like it," the joking smile had turned back to a kind and concerned one.
"Thanks, Kisumi," Makoto said.
Kisumi just nodded and turned to leave Makoto alone. He closed the door behind him, and Makoto was again left alone to his own thoughts.
It hit him, that maybe Kisumi wasn't that far off. It wasn't like Makoto was taking the joke seriously. He knew it was a joke. Kisumi had made it obvious in his facial expression. But maybe it was worth calling Haruka's phone to see if it connected, and who would pick up if it did.
Makoto found his own phone and dialed Haruka's number. He then pressed the phone to his ear and prayed that someone would answer in the other end.
He was lucky. There was only that beeping sound three times before someone picked up in the other end. There was no answer, but Makoto was used to that. It was rare for Haruka to start a conversation on the phone, regardless of who was calling who.
"Hello? Haru?" Makoto asked while hoping that it would be Haruka's voice in the other end.
"Who might this be?" an unfamiliar voice answered in the other end. It sounded a bit unclear but Makoto couldn't put his finger on what the other was doing to make it sound like this.
"Eh… My name is Tachibana Makoto, I'm Haru's adoptive father," Makoto answered. "Do you have him nearby by any chance?"
"Ah yes," the voice answered. "He is in the next room in fact,"
"Can I speak to him?" Makoto asked.
"I'm afraid that's not one of your privileges anymore," the man said. "The only ones I will allow to speak to him are myself and his biological brother,"
"Who are you?" Makoto asked, feeling like he was in his right to ask this question.
"My name is Taichi, that's at least what I told him," the other answered.
Makoto nodded. He was silent for a bit while thinking about what else he would need to ask. The other voice was quicker than him though.
"Could you not call this number again?" Taichi asked. "See it is rather inconvenient seeing as I plan on keeping him with me for a very long time,"
"Wh…" Makoto hesitated as he put his question together before asking it. "What will happen if I call this number again?" he asked.
"You care about both Haruka and his brother, don't you?" the other asked. "Let's just say that neither of them will be pleased if you do, of course I will let it slide for this time,"
Makoto nodded. "I understand," he said. He could hear the other preparing to hang up on the other end and it was then that he remembered one of the most important questions to ask. "Is Haru still alive?" he asked.
The other put the phone back to his ear. "Yes, he is alive and well for now,"
"Please tell me you don't plan on killing him or anything," Makoto said.
The other almost laughed. Makoto could hear that he had trouble keeping it in. "I will assure you, that's not in my interest at all,"
Makoto let out a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness," he said.
"If that's all, we're done talking," the other said and then hung up.
Makoto removed the phone from his ear and looked at the display. It showed Haruka's name and the minutes he had been on the phone with the kidnapper. He had got no information about where Haruka was, but at least he knew that he was still okay and wouldn't die, at least that was what the man said, but could he be trusted?
For the first time in his life, Makoto found himself doubting someone and asking himself if they could be trusted. If Kisumi knew of this, he would probably ask what had gone wrong overnight. Makoto couldn't count the times when he had been used for anything from doing assignments to a good laugh because of his own naivety.
But who was this guy to take Haruka away in the first place, and declare that none other than he and Rin could talk to him. Why Rin anyway? The guy seemed to know that Rin and Haruka were biologically related. Was he related to them too? But as far as Makoto knew they only had a mother, a sister and a father who were still alive. Hold on, he might just have figured out the relation between Rin, Haruka and the kidnapper.
Haruka had been sitting in his dark room while listening to Taichi's conversation on the phone. He couldn't guess whom it was speaking to him, but they were asking for him, and their name weren't Rin that was for sure.
Shortly after Taichi had hung up, Haruka could hear the key in the door and it was opened. Taichi stepped in, but Haruka still couldn't make out his face, even if the room outside was illuminated in daylight. It had to be morning by now.
"I was on the phone with your adoptive father," Taichi said. "What was his name again? Tachibana… something…" he said.
"Makoto," Haruka said coldly.
"Yeah, I told him what had happened and then he said he didn't care and would leave you to me," Taichi smiled it seemed. That was what his voice indicated.
Haruka frowned. "You basically told him that if he called, you would hurt me and Rin," he said, not even thrown off a tiny bit.
"Yeah, fine, maybe that's the case," Taichi said.
"Who are you even to say that he may not speak to me?" Haruka asked irritated.
"Me?" Taichi said. Then he sighed. "I suppose it is time to reveal it, isn't it?" He stepped away from the still open door and knelt down in front of Haruka. He grabbed his chin and turned their faces. "Look into my eyes, you might just be able to recognize them," he said in a teasing tone.
Haruka did so. The daylight was reflexing in the man's eyes. A hint of white could be seen, so could the dark of his iris and pupil. But as Haruka's eyes adjusted to the light from the door, he could see the difference in the iris and pupil become clearer. As he recognized it, he quickly pulled back with a surprised expression.
"I'm glad you recognize me" the man said. "Just so we are clear, the name is Nanase Taichi and I'm your biological father,"
Haruka didn't doubt this fact as he looked up into the man's clear blue eyes, the eyes he saw in the mirror and in the water's reflection whenever he cared to look. The only difference was that unlike his own calm ones, these blue eyes were glistering with a slight hint of insanity.