Chapter 6: Yukiyo Takumi

Mai looked up at the sky as the sunny morning turned dark and gloomy. Rain started to pour endlessly as people tried to take cover. She stopped and looked up at the sky as the rain soaked her yellow mini sundress. 'I don't know what to do anymore,' she thought, 'I wish you were here, Naru.'

"Yukiyo," Mrs. Takumi began, "was a very bright and happy child. He had never done anything to offend anyone, and he gets along with everyone in this town. I'll admit he had secrets, but every teenager had secrets. "

"Secrets," the dark grey hair asked.

"Yes," Mrs. Takumi replied, "He never told me though. He likes to keep to himself most of the time. I didn't ask him or anything, I guess he was at that age."

"How do you know that he had secrets," the tall blond guy asked.

"I don't," she replied, "but I guess you could call it a mother's intuition."

"Would you tell us when Mai came here," the red hair woman asked.

"Certainly," Mrs. Takumi replied, "It was around the time Yukiyo's heart started failing him. Yukiyo and Mai-chan were always close friends and they've been together ever since they were born until Mai-chan moved away, so it was easy to contact her. I called her a few days after Yukiyo was hospitalized. He kept asking for her, even in his sleep…" she took a small quiet breath, barely audible, "and as his mother, it was the only thing I can do. I called Mai-chan to ask if she would come and see him."

"And she did," the tall blond hair said.

"Yes," Mrs. Takumi nodded, "She arrived just three days after," and then a small sad smile appeared on her face, "I've never seen Yukiyo smile like that," she smiled as her son's smile appeared in her head, "Just seeing Mai-chan made him able to accept reality. "

"What happen afterwards," the dark grey hair asked.

Her smiled faded and she looked sadly down on the ground, "Yukiyo was dying, and facing reality just made it even harder for him to accept his death. He would try to hide his fear with laughter, but I guess Mai-chan saw through his lies. She always knew him best… he would tell her things he wouldn't tell anyone else."

"Did Mai-Taniyama-san ever mentioned what they were talking about," the dark grey hair asked.

"No," she shook her head, "I asked her once, but Mai-chan didn't tell me. She said it was Yukiyo's secret, and that she promised she would not tell. I couldn't possibly ask anymore after that."

"I see," the dark grey hair muttered, lost in thought.

"Um, Mrs. Takumi," the short blond hair spoke up for the first time upon arriving, "May I ask why Mai-san moved here?"

"She said she couldn't leave me here alone after Yukiyo's death, so she asked to stay here and later transferred," Mrs. Takumi replied.

"Would it be all right if I take a look in Yukiyo Takumi's room," a petit girl with short dark hair and wearing a kimono asked.

"Um," Mrs. Takumi hesitated.

"Mrs. Takumi," a tall man with dark blue-grey hair interrupted politely, "Please do not worry," he assured her with a smile, "the young lady is a specialist."

"But," Mrs. Takumi began, "why would you need to look in Yukiyo's room?"

"Please don't worry," the tall dark blue-grey hair reassured, "We won't touch anything. We're just doing our job."

"But," Mrs. Takumi protested, "It's just… Yukiyo's room is locked from the inside and the only one who Yukiyo entrusted with the key was Mai-chan. And since Mai-chan isn't home right now, there is nothing I can do."

"Would you kindly show me which room," the petit girl asked, "Even if the door is lock, just by the door would be fine."

"Um, sure," Mrs. Takumi hesitantly got up and told the petit girl to followed as the two headed upstairs.

The rest of the group turned back to each other.

"What do you think, Naru," the tall blond hair asked.

"…." Naru didn't responded.

"Takigawa-san (Monk-san)," the short blond hair spoke up.

"Yes, John," Monk-san answered.

"Do you think Hara-san would find anything," John asked.

Monk-san scratched the back of his head, "I don't know, but I am hoping she find something that would get this case moving forward."

"When do you think Mai would come home," the red hair asked impatiently.

"You seriously don't have any patient do you, Ayako," Monk-san sighed.

"Well, I've waited long enough didn't I," Ayako fumed.

"Thank you for waiting," Masako and Mrs. Takumi came back into the room.

"No problem," Monk-san replied.

"Um," Mrs. Takumi began once she sat back down on her chair, "Would it be alright to learn your names?"

At this, everyone looked up and Mrs. Takumi smiled a little.

Scene Changes

Mai's Pov

I sighed quietly as I made my way towards the door. I finally made it back home and was soak to the bone. I opened the door and said, "I'm home," and then closed the door behind me. I proceed to take off my shoes until…

"Mai?"

"Huh," I looked up and it was as if the world stopped turning that instant. My whole body was paralyzed and I couldn't help but gasped in surprise, "N-Naru?"

AN- Sorry for the cliff hanger, but I promised to upload as soon as I possibly can.