A/N: Whew! Monday morning and the first thing I did is to post this one ;)

Chapter 13. Search

"I'm sorry, Youko-san, but there's no record of any Fukuzawa Yuuichiro or any of the Fukuzawa you mentioned that lives in Kobe," the private investigator Youko hired said.

"I see. Thank you so much for your time," Youko said softly, her thoughts on Sachiko. She would have to tell her what she found out.

However, even when Sachiko heard what the investigator found, she still refused to accept that it wasn't Yumi that she saw.

"It was Yumi."

"Maybe it's Yumi-chan's ghost visiting and…"

Sei trailed off, her sheepish grin disappearing. She had never seen Youko looked fierce and scary like she's seeing right now.

"A joke, just a joke."

"If they have to look at every woman who looks like Yumi, then they have to do it. I will pay them," Sachiko said firmly, ignoring Sei.

Youko wanted to protest, but she held herself.

"Alright. If that's what you want."

The days turned into weeks, and yet no positive news was brought to Youko and Sachiko.

"I won't give up, Onee-sama. She has to be there, somewhere," Sachiko said as she lost herself in a deep thought. There's something that's amiss, something that she couldn't define. Frowning, she started to recount what happened the day she met the person she was saying as Yumi.

"… I met her at the restaurant when I was going to…"

Her eyes suddenly widened.

"What?" Youko asked in frustration.

"Onee-sama," Sachiko said, her heart beating fast as she remembered something.

"Her mobile phone! She left her mobile phone! My business associate thought it was mine and picked it up and gave it to me. I wasn't paying attention then. I just put it…"

"Where?"

"I think it's in my…I'll take a look."

"We'll help you."

Youko felt her heart sped up at the hopeful look in her little sister's face. Probably they were now a step closer in solving the mystery that's been plaguing Sachiko. At least if they could find the person that Sachiko was talking about, then Sachiko would be at ease, whether it was Yumi-chan or not. Somehow, she didn't know what to believe. If Sachiko was telling the truth, then why did the things that happen, happened?

She thought she'd get a headache with all this confusion. Grabbing Sei, she followed Sachiko.

---o---

Sachiko held the mobile phone tightly. Why hadn't she thought about this before? So much time had been wasted because of her stupidity.

And why can't she stop shaking? She must know where Yumi lives.

Unable to bear watching Sachiko boring holes in the device with her eyes, Youko took the device and immediately contacted her investigator friend. She would have called the numbers registered in the mobile phone by herself, but she was scared a bit, so she had her friend do the job.

The PI didn't waste any time and had the number traced to the owner thanks to the influence of the Ogasawara name.

"The mobile phone belongs to a certain Houribe Aya…"

Sachiko, Youko, and even Sei who's been the one talking a lot, went silent.

Youko avoided looking at Sachiko's way. She didn't know how Sachiko would take the news that it wasn't Yumi that she saw that day. A silent sob, however, made her turn to Sachiko.

"I'm sorry, Sachiko."

Youko pulled the silently crying woman and engulfed her in a tight hug. She couldn't stop herself from crying, too.

"I'm so stupid. How could it be Yumi when I know she's already dead…"

Both Youko and Sei didn't know what to say on that.

"It's stupid to even think about Yumi being alive. She had left me a long time ago. I must be crazy to think otherwise."

"Come on, Sachiko. Get some rest for a while," Youko said as she assisted Sachiko towards her bedroom. Like a mother to her child, she tuck her safely to bed, staying with her, crying with her, hugging her, until Sachiko fell asleep. After giving her a soft kiss on the forehead, she closed the door and headed downstairs.

"Asleep already?"

Youko nodded, unable to find her voice at the moment. She went into Sei's waiting arms and cried softly. She needed Sei's warmth. She knew she had to be strong for Sachiko, but she felt drained already. Sachiko's been through a lot already. She shouldn't have seen that Yumi look-alike. She shouldn't have given her false hopes.

"I don't know what to do anymore, Sei, I don't know anymore."

"Everything will be alright. Maybe it was really Yumi-chan. You shouldn't give up yet."

Youko pulled away from Sei angrily.

"How could you say that? It wasn't Yumi-chan! It was just a…"

Sei pulled Youko back and hugged her tightly.

"You just might be wrong. There are many things that could happen. What if it was Yumi-chan? The name didn't matter. Anyone can have their names changed. Anyone can have other identities."

"I know that. But Yumi-chan is already dead. If she just went missing, then it could have been her that Sachiko saw."

"What if she isn't really dead?"

"But…"

Youko didn't want to believe Sei's reasoning, but if…Sei was right. There were many things that could have happened. What more would they lose? At least they would be at ease knowing that they had done everything they needed to. There will be no what ifs.

"Maybe we should check on that Aya."

For the first time in many days, Sei smirked.

"Done."

Youko frowned, not understanding what Sei found amusing.

"Sei…"

"Your brain must have melted, Atty. Mizuno. I sent your friend to check on Houribe Aya. He said that this Aya lives in Osaka, not in Kobe. That's why they can't find her in Kobe."

"For once you're useful, Satou Sei."

"Always."

---o---

"Youko…Youko! Hey!"

Sei held Youko's frozen shoulders and shook her. She just arrived at their house with the door open and Youko looking like she had just seen a ghost.

"What the hell happened?! What's wrong?"

Youko blinked at Sei.

"Sei?"

"What happened? Did anyone trespass here? Did anyone attack you?"

If Sei sounded panic, Youko didn't noticed. Wordlessly and with trembling hands, she handed an almost crumpled photo to Sei.

Frowning, Sei held the photo, her gaze not leaving Youko, trying to find anything wrong with her aside from the shocked look on her face.

"Look at that photo, Sei."

It was Sei's turn to tremble as shock registered her face.

"It can't be."

"It's like a carbon copy, right? Except for the eyes and that she looks more mature."

"Yes. It does look like her, a grown up woman," Sei muttered softly. "Unbelievable…what should we do? Should we tell Sachiko now or…"

"What would you tell me and why did you left your door open, Sei-sama, Onee-sama? Were you inviting burglar in your house?"

"Sachiko?!"

A/N: Sorry but the "Alive" chapter will be no more (for now). I discarded it in favor of the "Search" chapter and the "Revelations" chapter, which is the next one (no more changing the title I hope ;)

Now, I gotta get back to work ;) Have a nice week!

---Arvendell---

20 October 2008

8:30 AM