Two days before we make our "grand entrance" at the Takishima mansion - well, two days not including when I made the plan anyway, Akira thought of letting us explore the forest in their backyard. Tadashi, being a person with wander lust, was definitely excited. So we planned our trip for that day, but apparently it rained. According to one of the maids, it is not advisable to go trekking when it rains because if we have to climb something our grip might slip and we would end up dead. But one of the most dangerous of all was to get caved in for mudslides were the most frequent causes of death in the forest.
"According to some reports," the maid started with an ominous tone, "two weeks ago they found a body in one of the caves at the end of the forest. Apparently the body had been stuck in that cave for a month. Coincidently, there was a missing person reported around the same time the body was caved in. Two days later, they confirmed the body as the missing person."
She looked at all of us. Her eyes darting from one person to another as though making sure that her words would penetrate our minds.
"It's a shame though," she continued, "they showed the picture of the missing person. It was a man, a ver handsome man. Oh, too bad he died," she pouted, her eyes rather star struck.
"You know, Aka-san, you really shouldn't be so star struck over a dead guy," I pointed out.
"No, Hikari-sama, if only you saw him! I'm pretty sure you would the same way I did," she said. Her hands went to her face and she sighed, "Really what a pity."
"Oh! I really wanted to go trekking!" Tadashi let out. Obviously, he wasn't listening at all.
"Don't even think about it! I will not be held responsible for whatever stupid thing that happens to you, Tadashi! In fact just to be sure, Aka-san, please go get some grade A rope." Immediately after Akira gave the order, the maid went off and searched for rope. She was fast for I don't think it took her a minute to get the rope.
"Tadashi, go into the drawing room and sit by the window," Akira said.
"Why?"
"Just do it," Akira said, the flames in her eyes told Tadashi to do what she said without any further questions.
Tadashi sat where I sat when I made the plans. Akira was handed the rope and she proceeded to wrap Tadashi with the rope. She tied it tight and made sure to make a double knot. To really make sure that Tadashi would stay put, she placed a padlock on the knot. Then, we vacated the room leaving only Tadashi, Aka-san handed her a remote control. She pressed her finger on the scanner and entered a security code. Seconds later, you could see lasers surround Tadashi.
"Now, you really can't escape, neh?" She smiled slyly.
Tadashi whimpered like a caged puppy– poor Tadashi.
"There, so now I've eliminated my headache for the next couple of days," Akira smiled to herself.
With that we left the room.
Tadashi was tied up at around nine o'clock. Three hours passed and now it was time for lunch. Since Akira didn't really think of a full-proof plan to keep Tadashi put considering he still had to eat, she thought of bringing Tadashi to the lunch table still tied to the chair. Not only that, his feet would be chained to the one the legs of the table. Well, I guess that really is full-proof.
I accompanied Akira to the drawing room. I don't really know how, but Tadashi was able to escape. Astonishingly, the lasers were disabled. The rope was untied and the padlock destroyed. How all of that happened is something that is just wow. I have no words to describe what Tadashi had done.
"How the hell –" Akira was a loss for words. "He's dead when I find him.
"What happened?" Ryuu popped in to check. I guess we were taking too long. "Where's Tadashi?"
"That's what I'd like to know," Akira said. She clenched her fist and punched the wall next to her.
"I'll go look for him," Ryuu said, "he couldn't have gotten that far I guess."
Two hours passed and still no sign from Ryuu or Tadashi.
"I'm not worried," Akira kept repeating as we sat in the living room. "Nope, it's not my place to be worried. That moron is not my responsibility. Nope, not mine at all." Akira kept repeating that to herself for the next couple of hours.
Tadashi disappeared at noon and it was now half past four. But evidently, she was worried – without a doubt.
We heard the backdoor in the kitchen open. Akira darted from her seat and pulled me with her. She hurried to see whether Tadashi had come back. But, apparently it was just Ryuu drenched in rain shaking his head.
"I looked for him at least just a few meters past the opening of the forest. I'm sorry I couldn't got any further, there was at least waist deep mud that covered the rest of the forest."
"I see," Akira said weakly. "Anyway, thanks Ryuu. Sorry for getting you wet." She smiled half-heartedly. "Got into the living room and stay in front of the fireplace and I'll fix you some hot chocolate."
"Thanks," Ryuu said, "don't worry we'll find him. I know that guy maybe a bit stubborn, but he'll turn up soon. He always does, don't worry so much."
"Oh, what?" Akira said snapping back into reality. "Me? Worried? Don't make me laugh Ryuu!" Her gaze fell to the floor.
"It's written all over your face. Don't be so down, you still have to smack some sense into that guy for worrying all of us. If you're sad, your punch wouldn't be as hard as it should," Ryuu smiled. "Well, I'll be in front of the fireplace if you need me."
"Thanks Ryuu," Akira smiled as Ryuu walked past her. "Well, there's no point in just staring at the floor now is there?" She said turning to me. "I'll go fix him some hot chocolate."
Akira got some cups from the cupboard. "Would you like some?"
I didn't think this was the time to refuse anything she offered. "Yes, please."
She started to melt a block of chocolate in a pan. Her eyes cast down on the pan and her lips pursed. The block of chocolate melted slowly and in that instance, a pregnant silence fell upon us. The atmosphere was tense and no words were spared – what words were there to ease the tension?
"Hikari, can you get the milk from the fridge please?"
I did as I was told and got the milk. Akira mixed it with the liquefied chocolate and added some sugar. She stirred it for a few minutes. Just stirring it repeatedly seemed to ease some of her pain. After a while, she poured the chocolate into the cups. There were three cups, one for Ryuu, me and her. She placed those cups on a tray and we headed out of the kitchen and headed to the living room. She set down the tray on the coffee table in front of the couch. Ryuu sat with his back against the coffee table. Akira handed him his cup and he thanked her. She acted as though he said nothing. I got my cup from the tray and took a sip. The cold atmosphere resulting from the rain and the tense atmosphere Akira gave off didn't make it any easier. The warm chocolate drink slithered down my throat and went through my systems. The easing warmness of the drink relaxed my muscles and I let out a sigh of relief. I know it did the same for Akira for she slouched back on the couch. Her arm rested on the arm rested of the couch. Her head rested on the palm of her hands but there were times when her head would drop and rest on her arm. This went on for a while until finally it was eight in the evening, her head had finally sank and rested on her arm. Ryuu left an hour ago, since then, we just sat on the couch in silence watching as the flames flickered. I heard someone go down the stairs. It was Ryuu holding a blanket. He covered Akira with the blanket and sat next to me.
Our gaze was on the dimming embers of the once burning fire. He broke the silence, "That Tadashi better come back already. I wonder if he knows how worried we are – how worried Akira is most of all."
"I'm sure he'll turn up eventually," I said hoarsely. My throat and lips were dry from not speaking for an hour.
"Well, we'll try again tomorrow. Tadashi we'll come to us without us having to look for him though," he said as he stood up. "Good night," he bid.
"Good night," I said in return.
Ryuu went upstairs leaving me and Akira again. I debated on whether I should go up and sleep or stay here and keep her company. Oh! I know! I hurried upstairs into my room and grabbed a pillow and a blanket. I went down stairs and propped the pillow between Akira's arm and her head so that she would at least be relaxed. I went back to my place and wrapped myself in my blanket. My eyes still gazed at the fire place. I watched as the dimming orange embers slowly cooled into cinders, and as it cooled my eyes slowly closed until the last ember cooled.
I woke up to the chime of the clock on top of the fireplace. It was six in the morning. I stretched and rubbed my eyes.
"I wonder if Akira's awake," I yawned softly as I turned to her. She wasn't there. I darted to the kitchen she wasn't there either.
I looked in every room of the house and still she was nowhere to be found.
My instincts told me that she was outside and so I darted out of the front door, she wasn't anywhere in the front yard. In which case, she was there at the back yard. And there she was sitting on the steps leading to the ground.
"Akira, are you alright?" I asked.
The blanket Ryuu wrapped her in was still wrapped around her and her hands pulled it closer to her body.
"I heard sounds last night," she said blankly, her gaze to the opening of the forest. "As if a bear was roaring or something, then at, I think, three in the morning, I heard a loud bang. I went out to check what it was and I saw the trashcans on the ground, both of them dented. After that, I just stayed here. I couldn't sleep anymore because I have this gut feeling that something was out there and that thought just glued m butt to this step."
I sat down next to her and we both stared at the forest, scrutinizing any movement we could see.
Then, I heard the rustling of some leaves. It made me jump.
"Did you hear that –"Akira said as she turned to me. I nodded before she could finish her sentence.
The rustling became louder. Next, we heard some splattering, as if someone was slapping the ground with a wet piece of cloth. As the rustling became louder, so did the splattering and shadowy figure began to emerge from the forest. Akira clung to my arm. I wrapped my free arm around in turn. As the figure came into the sunrise, it started making some sounds as if it were a bear looking for food. Oh CRAP! It is a bear! That brown furry ball of destruction! We have to go back inside and call the authorities!
"Akira, we have to go back inside!"
Without speaking, Akira stood up. She walked towards the bear. I don't know what to do! Should I go and defend Akira or should I go and call the maids? WHAT THE HELL SHOULD I DO! So this is what I get for becoming a little less dense. I start thinking a lot. Sometimes, I wish I was still blissfully dense, at least I would've sprung into action or at least done something – Great! I'm thinking again! Why can't I just stop thinking and do something? That's it! Snap out of it Hikari! Mind-slap!
"Ow," I mouthed. That was not a mind-slap. That was an actual-real-world-slap in the face. Okay, now that hurt. Okay, my senses were awake; I stood up and darted back inside the kitchen and before I could take any step further. Akira called out.
"Hikari," she started, "no need to alert anyone. I can handle this."
I could see her from the kitchen screen door. She was moving towards the bear slowly. Now that I think about it, the closer that bear is to Akira, it doesn't look like much of a bear – it's more like a deformed gingerbread man.
I went outside to get a closer look. Akira was in range of a long stick that looked like a bat. She was aware of it and seized it before the bear-gingerbread-man-thing got any closer. She held as though she was about to hit a ball pitched to her.
"Mwauhh!" The creature moaned.
"Stay back," Akira warned. "Any closer to me – or Hikari –" she emphasized, "and I swear, you'll be a homerun that's going straight to Japan!"
"Mwauhh!" It kept moaning.
It was now nose to nose with Akira. Now that I look at it, I think it is some deformed gingerbread man.
"Hikari," Akira began, "is it normal for bears to start melting?"
From the looks of it, the gingerbread man is melting!
Without hesitation, Akira started beating the thing senselessly.
"Whatever you are, just get out of here!"
"AUWWHH!" It yelled.
"What's all this?" Ryuu yawned from inside the kitchen. Scratching his head, he stepped outside to get a better look.
"We can't help but get up," Jun said suddenly appearing behind me.
"It was too noisy," Megumi scribbled.
"What is that?" Ryuu said, squinting to actually identify the thing.
"I think it's a deformed gingerbread man," I replied.
"I think so too," Jun said.
"I second the motion," Megumi scribbled.
"So why is Akira beating the sense out of that thing? It looks like it only wants to hug her," Ryuu observed.
True enough, that thing looked as if it was trying to hug Akira with the way his arms tried to encircle her body.
"I don't think so, Ryuu," Jun said, "it's just trying to keep her from hitting him or her or whatever it is really."
"Wait, Look!" Jun pointed. Part whatever it is seemed to melt and revealed what looked like brown hair. That's strange, since when do gingerbread men have hair?
"Wait a second," Ryuu said. He walked down to the side of the last step were a hose lay. He held the hose as though he was about to shoot the gingerbread-man-thing. He pulled the trigger and blasted water on the gingerbread-man-thing. Now that I look at it, it's not s gingerbread-man-thing – it's just a man and mud was sliding off of him. Wait, that's no man! That's Tadashi! He stood with his arms shielding him.
Akira stopped beating him realizing who he was. She dropped the stick and proceeded to check Tadashi of any other injury. It looked as though he was covered in scratches and some bruises – which were not caused by the beating – some splinters of pine were stuck in his tangled brown mane and some of it were sticking out of him as if he had undergone acupuncture.
"Well, what a turn out," Ryuu said as he set the hose aside. "I'll go get more blankets. Jun, Megumi, you guys want to make hot chocolate for all of us?"
"Right away!" Jun said as he and Megumi started making hot chocolate.
I ran to Akira, but she raised her hand and stopped me from getting any closer.
"You moron!" Akira punched Tadashi. It made his cheek swell a bit. "Didn't the maid tell us that it was dangerous to go into the forest because something like this would happen? Didn't I make sure you would be safe by tying you up in the drawing room? SO WHY TH HELL DID YOU STILL GO!"
Akira's eyes overflowed with tears. She clenched her fists and she just glared at Tadashi who just stood at a loss for words.
"Akira," he started, "look, I'm sorry—"
"Don't bother! I don't want to hear it!" She bit her lip and looked away. "I kept telling myself that I wasn't worried or how you were not my responsibility, but the truth is I was worried sick and you are my responsibility!"
Akira collapsed into a sitting position. "I hate you so much right now," she said shakily. Her breathing became heavy.
Tadashi, still speechless, crouched in front of her. She refused to look at him prompting him to place his hands on her face. Each tear she shed he'd wipe it off with his thumb.
"Look," he started, "I know you don't want to speak to me right now, let alone look at me."
Akira remained the same.
Tadashi sighed and continued, "I know that I've done something that got me into monumentally gigantic trouble. I know I got myself some pretty bad scratches and other wounds. But what cuts me deep would be you not even wanting to talk to me, much more look at me. I know I've hurt you – I think that may be an understatement. And I know I've done so many stupid things, this may be the stupidest I've done I guess. But if you treat me like I don't exist, I'll have to say that my whole existence would be a waste. My whole life is filled with stupid things – some you can't even begin to imagine – but you are what keeps me in line. You keep my feet on the ground. You are what keeps my existence because if I might've done something that's really dangerous or something absolutely idiotic, then right then and there, my life, my whole existence would've ended. But thanks to you," he tucked a stray bang behind her ear, "I still exist. So please stop crying. I'm sorry for doing this. I won't let something like this happen again."
Akira stopped crying but her gaze refused to meet his face. She just looked at the ground. Tadashi stood up and walked past her. She sat there just staring at the ground.
"Tadashi," I started. He raised his hand to prevent me from saying anything else. He just walked past me. Suddenly a flash of red went past me. It was Akira, she wrapped her blanket around Tadashi and hugged him from behind.
"Aren't you cold?" Her voice mumbled as she dug her face onto the back of his shoulder.
"No, not anymore," he replied.
"One more question," Akira started, "why were you making bear noises early in the morning?"
"That was the only way I thought of calling my Bear Lady," Tadashi answered with an amused look on his face.
"Oh?" Akira said. Her embraced suddenly became tighter for Tadashi started coughing.
"Gomenasai~!"
Akira loosened her hold.
"Let's go in, Jun and Megumi made hot chocolate," Akira said and they both went in.
I stayed behind. Thinking about it, Takishima and I are similar to Tadashi and Akira. I'm seriously oblivious just like Tadashi, and Takishima is the one that keeps me in line.
But compared to me, Tadashi is much more considerate. I guess I've got a lot more to work on Takishima, but just you wait and see. I'm coming for you.