Hi everyone! Here is Chapter 3. Enjoy! please R & R yea? Thank you!
Chapter 3: Running Around in Circles
"The darkness is light, the light is darkness. Seek and you'll find the friendly shadows amongst all the brightness."
The doll shot off some sparks and was no longer functioning. Oga took off from the building towards Furuichi's house, assuming that Furuichi would be studying at home.
Hilda looked around her. Her surrounding was pure darkness with only a streak of beautiful and serene moonlight shining on her right hand. She smiled. How could something as normal and simple as the moonlight amuse her so easily? Looking around the whole room, she wondered how she could escape from this godforsaken place. There were too many people standing guard fearing that she would run off again, making their job difficult.
Maybe I should feint a faint. Wait, they would most probably think I'm sleeping. Urgh.
Hilda kicked in the air, frustrated with the situation that she was in.
"Eh, what is this?" Furuichi inquired after Oga had written something and passed it to him.
Scanning the note, Furuichi commented, "Wow. Oga I didn't know you write poetry! This is not bad my friend!"
Oga smacked Furuichi's head.
"Baka! Hilda is in trouble…."
Oga explains the situation to Furuichi. Furuichi studied the riddle a second time. Simultaneously, he was thinking how the daft Oga could memorise two complete sentences which are coherent. Maybe Oga learns better when he is under pressure. However, how is he supposed to put Oga under the same amount of pressure to study for the upcoming exams? Maybe he should study the technique of this 'annoying bastard' as Oga had coined it to get some ideas.
"The darkness is light, the light is darkness. Seek and you'll find the friendly shadows amongst all the brightness".
Reading the riddle for a second time, Furuichi replied "Okay. So the first sentence is just an oxymoron."
"Huh?"
"Gyah! They are just ideas which are conflicting. Dark cannot be light. Light cannot be dark!"
"Oh."
"Anyway, the first sentence tells us that the darkness provides us more answers than the light. So, we may need to find the darkest place in Ishiyama."
"Everything is dark now. Oi! Are you sure that you are reading it right?" asked Oga who was doubtful of Furuichi's interpretation of the riddle.
Furuichi slapped his forehead with his palm. How could he get through to this guy in front of him who knows nothing but the language of violence? How is he supposed to go any simpler with this blockhead?
"Okay then. Somewhere that is dark even when the sun is up. Now let's look at the second sentence. We have to find people who hang out at night."
"So what is the 'brightness'?"
"Hmmmm… it could be the society, made up of mostly law abiding citizens." Furuichi replied thoughtfully.
Furuichi tried to decipher the riddle more and listed down a few interpretations. Oga stood up and headed for the door.
"Oi Oga. Where are you going?"
"I'm going to thrash any place that is dark until I find Hilda!"
"So you're going to thrash the whole town? NO, OGA! SIT DOWN!" Furuichi demanded, "I'm almost done! Stop doing stupid things!"
"Then hurry up! I'm getting sleepy! "Oga faked a yawn.
Idiot. Just say that you are worried for her, thought Furuichi.
"… Okay I am done. We have to go to a place least visited in Ishiyama to find her amongst unsuspecting looking people!"
"Okay. LET'S THRASH THE TOWN!"
"NOOO!"
Hilda threw a bundle of black cloth far out of the window.
"There she is! Miss Hilda! Miss Hilda!"
Good. Distraction executed. Next is to actually get out of this place unseen. Hilda swiftly climbed up some drainage pipes that were next to the window. The only way to escape is through the roof.
Thud.
Great now she just has to run as fast as she can and get out of this place.
"Not so fast Hilda-sama."
"H… How did you know that I will be here?"
"It was easy Hilda-sama. This was the only way left that you have not tried."
"Dammit," Hilda grimaced.
Hilda's eyes searched frantically for an escape from the meticulous person.
"Fine. Fine. I will climb back down," Hilda surrendered, raising up her hands.
Down she went and not to her captive area but further down the bushes.
"She's in the bushes!"
Upon landing, Hilda made a dash for the entrance.
Smack. Whack.
Groaning could be heard as Hilda passed the guards by. Some stood helplessly while others cheered her on. At last, the entrance. Hilda made quick work of climbing over the giant gate while jumping off some approaching guards for a boost. Hilda blew her fringe away from her face upon landing in a crouching position. Surging with adrenaline, Hilda took a deep breath and pushed herself off to continue her escapade. Distant shout outs from the other side of the gate could be heard though they were getting fainter.
"Baka! Where is this place! I can't find Hilda anywhere."
"But according to the riddle, it should be somewhere around here, no?" wondered Furuichi while scratching his head profusely.
"Maybe I should have just thrashed the whole town instead of listening to you and wasting time! Bakai—"
Something blonde and quick hit Oga hard. Furuichi watched in horror before realizing who it was.
"Hilda-chan! We've been looking everywhere for you!"
"Dammit! Can't you see where you're going numbskull?"
"Why is it my fault now? And why are you here? I thought you were kidnapped!"
"Yes, Hilda-chan! I was already imagining bad things happening to you since it took us this long to locate you. What a surprise! Looks like you found us!"
"In your dreams Bakachi. Who said I was kidnapped?" replied Hilda after moving off from Oga and dusting herself.
"Do you know if anyone has a grudge on you?"
"Where's your umbrella?"
Oga and Furuichi asked Hilda simultaneously.
"Where did you create that nonsense from? Don't include me in your lewd fantasies Lecherichi. And what do you want with my umbrella? I don't need an umbrella at night fool," Hilda replied.
Oga heard some shuffling of feet on the ground.
"Are you being chased?"
"Where is a safe place that I can hide in?" asked Hilda staring at the direction of the sound.
"I know a place," replied Oga instantaneously.
"WHAT? WHY ARE WE AT MY PLACE?"
"Just shut up and get inside Wimpichi" ordered Hilda.
Knock. Knock.
It had only been a few minutes since they had entered Furuichi's house and the huntsmen have found them! Furuichi nearly wet his pants in fear.
"I'll take care of them! A few Oga punches would do it!" Oga said, breaking the silence as he rolled up his sleeves and walked towards the front door.
"Fool! By doing that you are telling them that I am here!"
"Then what do you want me to do? There's no other way!"
Hilda pointed with her head at Furuichi.
"Me?"
"Yes, you. Any objections?"
"No Hilda-chan! I will try my best!" replied Furuichi beaming from ear to ear.
With his chest out and newfound confidence that Hilda had indirectly given him, Furuichi marched towards the front door. Hilda hid behind Oga to mask her scent from the search dogs that were employed by her guardian. Oga was startled when he turned around to see Hillda behind him and wanted to rebel against the idea but stopped after hearing a low growl from the door.
"Yes?"
"Good evening. I am Alaindelon. I am inquiring to see if our dear Hilda-sama has come by your house seeing that you're acquainted with her at school."
Hilda grabbed onto Oga's shirt and took a few more steps closer to the towering Oga and let herself bask in his dead sewer rat smell. She has to go through with this or she would be dragged back to that empty house. There is no way that that is going to happen anytime soon. Oga could feel her warm breath being exhaled gently on his back and the tightness of his loose shirt due to her grasp. Her warm breaths reminded him of her beautiful heart beating and how he had wanted to hear more of it…
"Oh. Hilda-chan was here but she left after thinking that you would come and find her here." Furuichi said without a glitch.
"Do you mind if we have a look around your house then?"
"Sure! You will find nothing here."
Baka! What is that idiot doing? Oga and Hilda both thought at the same time.
"Oga turned his head to the side and whispered, "Follow me. I know one place they can't go."
Still attached to Oga, Hilda and Oga moved as one towards the promised location.
"This was your great idea? How are we going to escape, fool?" Hilda hissed.
Someone rapped at the door.
"What? Can't you tell that a guy is taking a dump here?" Oga said as he let out the loudest and presumably the most pungent cloud of air from his behind.
Hilda elbowed him and pinched her nose in disgust. How did she ever get stuck with these two fools who do not know how to deal with problems with grace and style? Oga let out a groan.
"Are you okay in there sir?"
"Yes. Can't a guy be satisfied after relieving himself?" Oga replied eyeing Hilda all the time.
"Ungrateful bitch," Oga hissed.
That comment earned him a step on his left foot. He bent over in pain silently, ultimately not believing that he had let that wretch do that to him.
"Well, sorry for disturbing you in your private time, sir," replied Alaindelon formally.
"Thank you for your permission to allow us to search your house Mr. Furuichi. We will be on our way. Sorry for any inconvenience caused. If you find that anything in your house was broken during our visit here, do notify me and we will compensate you." Alaindelon continued while handing out his namecard that was taken out from a pocket on the interior of his lavish coat.
"Sure haha. No problem! Drop by any time!"
"Baka!" both Oga and Hilda hissed together again.
After hearing the front door close shut, Hilda came out first pushing Oga to the side.
"Wretch!" Oga shouted after her.
Furuichi was counting his lucky stars while memorizing Alaindelon's contact number.
"I should ask for 1million yen! Or maybe 2 million, no, 5!"
"Are you trying to rob me Thiefichi?"
"Huh, no Hilda-chan! I would never think of doing that!" Furuichi claimed with his heart dampened at gaining easy money.
Furuichi had to involuntarily crush Alaindelon's namecard in front of Hilda and throw it in the rubbish can. As a result, his eyes had lost their sparkle and turned to a dark brown tone, revealing the sadness and disappointment in his heart.
"Good. Now, where shall I sleep?"
"Why did you follow me back home, and not stay with Furuichi?!"
"That's because I don't want Creepichi peeping at me when I'm changing in a room or when I go to the washroom. Or worse, staring at me and having lecherous fantasies while I sleep."
Oga quietly opened the door and gestured Hilda to wait outside for a while. After a few minutes, Oga motioned for Hilda to come in. She walked casually inside but Oga told her to be quiet and careful. He was not about to get caught with a girl in the house. He led the way upstairs and brought her to his room. Hilda fanned away the rude smell that was entering her nostrils with her delicate hands. This place reeked of Oga, but it smells better than the whiff of poison that was released from his rear earlier. He closed the door.
"There are no other rooms to put you in and I don't want my parents and sister finding you anywhere in the house."
"Why?"
"I've never brought a girl back home, especially not in the middle of the night!"
"Fair enough. Now go and get yourself a mattress because I am going to sleep on this dingy bed," the runaway ordered as she sat cross-legged on her newfound bed.
Oga let out a huge sigh and was at the door when Queen Hilda ordered again, "Oga, bring me some clothes to change into and a clean towel to wash myself up."
Oga grunted and tiptoed to Misaki's room to grab a night dress without turning on the light. He then went downstairs towards the basement to pick up a mattress with his free hand. Oga reopened the door to his room to find Hilda looking disgusted at an article that she found.
"What?"
"I didn't know that you read such explicit magazines. I thought you were different after observing that you show no interest at all for girls, especially with Kunieda who is always staring at you in class. Hmph, I guess you are of the male species after all," Hilda commented as she shut the offensive material and placed it back on his study table which unsurprisingly, was very clean and lack any presence of school books.
"That is Furuichi's and Kunieda is just a friend!" Oga protested.
Hilda raised a brow full of suspicion but let it pass.
"So where's my change of clothes and a towel?"
Oga went towards his cupboard and took out a blue towel which was his only clean spare towel. He placed the bundle of cloth from before on top of the towel and gave it to Hilda. Hilda took the items hurriedly and went to the bathroom which was just opposite Oga's room. Tapping his foot while leaning on the wall next to the bathroom, Oga waited and waited and waited and…
"Hilda?" Oga whispered her name as he gently rapped the door.
"Close your eyes so that I can come out."
"Huh?"
"Close your eyes or you're dead," threatened the faint voice on the other side of the door as it clicked open.
"Fine."
Hilda smelled like a bunch flowers which Oga had no knowledge of, but she smelled really nice. He took a deeper breath, shoulders raised as she passed him by.
"What are you doing, weird fool? I'm starting to see some undesired similarities between you and Creepichi."
Realising what he had done, Oga took bigger steps towards the bathroom to freshen up without looking back at Hilda. Taking to heart Hilda's instructions from earlier, the now nice smelling Oga carefully entered the room with his eyes closed and walked aimlessly.
"Ahhh! Ouch! AH! GAH! I GIVE UP!"
Oga opened his eyes and found a scowling Hilda. Oga's eyes travelled down from the wretch's face.
"WHERE ARE YOU LOOKING AT SCUM?"
"KYAAAAHHHH!" cried Oga as he received a powerful blow from Hilda.
"Tatsumi?" Misaki inquired groggily at the door which was left ajar.
"Ah, Nee-san. Go back to sleep. I accidentally kicked my bedpost."
"THEN KEEP IT DOWN. ARE YOU TRYING TO WAKE THE WHOLE HOUSE UP?"
Misaki smacked the side of Oga's head which was peering from the door and slowly shuffled back to her room resuming her zombie mode. Rubbing his head gently, Oga shut the door after her. Just as he was about to turn towards the interior of the room, he remembered that Hilda… and blood rushed to his cheeks full of embarrassment.
"Fool, couldn't he have taken anything less tight around the bust. The dress is barely holding anything in it." Hilda muttered to herself and failed at trying to cover herself properly with the lack of clothing.
Oga switched off the room light and took a deep breath and spun around; pretending as if nothing had happened. While walking towards the mattress placed next to his bed, he directed his eyes to the ground. Hilda watched him like a hawk, making sure his eyes do not stray somewhere else. Seeing that the dress was shortened to slightly above the length of her mid thighs, Hilda was about to give him a piece of her mind, but thought better of it. At this rate they will get caught and there would be too many things to be explained. Oga stopped at the right side of the bed and lied down on the mattress on the floor.
Oga's room was one quarter the size of Hilda's bathroom at home and she felt a little bit claustrophobic. Her eyes danced around the room lit by the moon's glimmer shining in from the window. Hilda turned to her side.
"Oga?"
"Hnn," Oga grunted.
"Your room is too small and your bed smells like the dumpsters. When was the last time you changed the covers?"
"Pivnkl#bmnib! Just shut up and sleep, you damn woman! I'm not your 5-star maid! I'm not going to prepare you a fluffy bear or a breakfast in bed, dammit!"
Pause.
"Thank you," Hilda whispered as she faced the window and closed her eyes.
Oga lifted his eyelids and studied the silhouette that was covered with his blanket for a moment and thought Bitch. He yawned, mouth opened wide. All that running around the whole of Ishiyama during the evening had made him sleepy. He watched the peaceful night sky and fell asleep soon after.
Furuichi at the same moment was feeling restless. He had offered his room to Hilda-chan but she had rejected the offer saying that he was a creep.
"Damn Oga. Why is he so lucky? He has the whole night to look at Hilda-chan's beautiful curves while here I am staring at the plain ceiling and thinking about how lucky he is."
Letting his thoughts drift further, Furuichi remembered the riddle and finally understood its meaning. Hilda's darkest place was her house which most probably was a reminder of her parent's death. The group of unsuspecting people was her housemaids and servants who were the only ones closest in contact with her since she had said that her house was heavily guarded around the clock. They were just taking care of her and following Alaindelon's orders so they were not the obvious perpetrators.
A few questions circled his mind. Where did Hilda stay? How did the mysterious character know her so well, even to the extent of Hilda's plan to escape momentarily from her house that night? Why involve Oga and him in it? As far as things have gone, Furuichi was sure that something more would be thrown at them who are pawns in this mystery. Maybe he should warn Hilda and Oga to be more careful from now on. These train of thoughts fluttered around his mind lulling him to sleep.