ღLast time on Picking up the Piecesღ
"Hey Haruhi, come check this out!" Takahiro yelled, the voice emitting from the back room. I froze. If he was in the back of the house...then who was in the garage? I slowly turned my head and saw a tall man with dark hair placing the blue bags onto the ground. "Haruhi?" Takahiro asked breathing into my ear. Making me jump and slam my elbow into his stomach. He groaned lightly and thumped to the ground.
I quickly bent down, apologizing before pointing towards the garage. "There's someone in there," I whispered, frightened as the sound of wet shoes squished against the floor of the garage, coming closer to the garage door. Takahiro looked up, the pained expression void, his eyes hardened.
"Haruhi."
ღ Now ღ
My eyes widened slightly before I stood up. I glared at Takashi. "What are you doing here? Do you realize what would happen if Rai caught you here?" I growled, forcing fake malice into my voice and placed my hands on my hips. He looked incredibly handsome. His black shaggy hair looked more wild than usual and had grown out a few inches, wetted down by the ice rain. Then again, it could be my imagination working.
"I came with Okamoto," he said, voice dull of all emotion, I knew he was just matching my tone. Only in his way of showing it. His hands slid into his pocket. I turned my head to look at Takahiro. "Please leave, before Rai gets back. He will kill Takashi and you if he sees him here," I whispered placing my hands on his chest. He nodded, sadness in his eyes, he kissed my forehead before turning around and walking out the door. I looked at Takashi as he retreated out the door after Takahiro.
"I'm sorry." I whispered shutting the door. I went back to my task and had restocked the fridge and felt the house was no longer a disgusting pigsty on the inside. After that, I got ready to meet with the person who phoned me last week.
I looked down at my watch; checking the time again. The air in the underground passage way was cold and had the thick smell of dust. I moved a hand through my hair and sat down on the almost ice cement. I wasn't really paying attention to anything. So, I didn't notice a man approaching; until he announced himself with a cough.
"Fujioka-san?" the man asked, seeming not sure of what to do. I glanced up at him, frightened slightly by how close he was. Kneeling down just two feet away. "I have been sent instead of the person who was going to meet with you," he explained straightening up. I followed his movement with my eyes before standing also.
"Why am I here anyways?" I muttered darkly to him, shoving my hands in my pocket and attempting to look threatening. That probably didn't work on the man, since he completely ignored my posture.
"I have some information about Fujioka Rai, Fujioka Ryouji and you," he explained pulling three thick manila folders out of his black jacket. On each of the folders where big red bold lettering spelling 'TOP SECRET' with a thick red border around it. He passed the one on the top to me. "This one encloses information about your father. Including his friends, family, relationships, occupation and everything and anything about his life," he explained allowing me time to flip through the pages. There where pictures of people he had ever met. Information about them and how Ranka knew them.
"What's so great about this? It's just everything I knew already about him. You said that there is stuff in here that I don't know!" I exclaimed flipping to the pages of family; pausing on the picture of my mother. There was a little bolded section below it:
Kotoko Fujioka:
Occupation: Lawyer
Relationships: Married; Ryouji Fujioka
Dated: Rai Fujioka...
I blinked when did my mother date Rai? I thought my mom had been a serious woman and had finally started dating when Ryouji had convinced her to. My thoughts were broken when another one of the folders landed on my hands. Making me nearly drop the first one.
"This is Fujioka Rai's folder. Same thing," he said, but before I could open it; his large hand stopped me. "Only look at this one when Rai is asleep and you are alone. Do not let him find it at all," The man explained as if he had already met Rai. I raised my eyebrow, nodding and tucked the two files into my backpack pocket. "This is from my boss. If you do, these will be taken away within an hour of Rai discovering it," the man explained sternly. I knew that the first part about if Rai discovered the files. I would be dead.
"I swear I won't let him even see a glimpse of the folders. Or hear of it ever," I swore to him. Taking off my jacket and placed it in my backpack over the files. He then handed me over the last file. Mine.
"Read this file before you read the others. It unlocks all of the secrets of your past," he said in an almost ominous voice. He bowed before turning around and walking towards a black limousine. I pulled a gun from my pocket, a gun that I had found in Rai's house. He didn't do a very good job at hiding his illegal activities.
"Who do you work for?" I demanded, raising the gun towards him. I wanted to know who had been stalking my family. His hands slowly came up and someone from within the limo chuckled, before the person muttered.
"I am under strict orders not to tell you," he said turning his head towards me, a smirk gracing his lips. "You will find out soon enough. However," His voice got louder at this, bending his head slightly more before. Grasping the edge of the door and placing a foot inside of the limo. He bowed his head before he disappeared into the dark limo. The limo sped away. I took the folders out and quickly scanned through them. Making sure there weren't any wires, bombs, cameras. Or anything in them. When I got home, I was going to throw these clothes out. I didn't take kindly to stalkers.
I let out a sigh and swung the files and coat into my bag before the bag onto my shoulder. I started walking towards the outside. I had taking the bus here. I just didn't feel safe going on a bus however; I had been entrusted with getting these files and not letting Rai to see them. However, I knew that he had connections to everyone. Mostly. If they go missing, they would end up in Rai's disgusting hands. The only person I could think of calling was Takashi. Asking him to come take me back home to the warm family known as the Morinozukas. Of course, I had given that up for their safety...however; I didn't feel safe going back to Rai's house.
The closest phone was a payphone encased in a blue and clear box. I jogged over, feeling the files bang against my back. I shook the feeling I was being watched and swung the door of the payphone open and stepped in. There was no one around it. I prayed that I had enough money to make at least a two-minute phone call. I found an 8-yen piece and stuck it into the slot and placed the receiver next to my ear and pushed the metal buttons. The sound of the phone ringing made my heart beat a little faster. I was sure no one was going to answer, the Morinozukas where extremely fast at answering the phone. No matter what number they picked it up, to be polite. Just as I placed my hand on the disconnect switch, a female voice answered.
"Hello? Sakura-chan? It's Haruhi." I said into the phone hearing the fumbling as if she was caught off guard. The woman answered with as much kindness as if I had never left, that I was still their daughter.
"Dear, what a wonderful surprise! How have you been?" she asked her voice full of fondness.
"I've had worse. Excuse me if I sound rude, but I didn't call to catch up, I called to see if you can come pick me up," I asked, crossing my fingers and leaning against the glass, the bag dangling limply from my arm. She laughed before the sound of her muffling the phone before a faint calling to a servant.
"Haruhi, are you still there?" I responded with a grunt, "Good, I'm going to send a chauffeur to you, I just need to know where you are exactly." She let out an embarrassed laugh, as if she was embarrassed that she didn't know where her daughter was. I explained to her that I was near the underground highway. After a scolding, she said her goodbye and told me to wait in or near the phone booth for the car. It would be easy to pick out, either a limousine or an expensive car that I would never have even guessed about owning. Besides from that side of town to where I stood would take at least a half hour if the traffic was good, longer if it wasn't. There was only one way to spend the time, since I was itching to read the files. Opening the one-labelled Haruhi Fujioka, I started reading. It had information about my entire family from my great-great grandpa and grandma to my parents to me. We didn't have much family after that. The file told me about the schools, my grade average, everything. I knew I wasn't supposed to read this before I read the others, but curiosity got the better of me.
The back of my neck stood and felt prickles dance along my skin as I read. I skipped to the part where I had attacked Rai. The stalker was describing the scene as if he was observing it, so it must've been someone in the room at the time. It was not that slut, or Rai. They wouldn't have sent me these files if they knew that I could apparently find out more about myself. I paused and wondered, was the part where I killed my father in this file. If so, did that mean the person who sent this to me was using this as blackmail? I thought before flipping back to where it dated a year and three months previous. My eyes skimmed the page and found the words 'laudanum' and 'not guilty'. My eyes widened. Laudanum is a drug that works as a painkiller, much stronger than morphine. If given too much, the laudanum would work its way through the body and temporarily knock it out. Given a huge dosage could kill you. The amount placed in brackets was not nearly enough to kill someone. I skipped back a paragraph and began to read. It was like a detailed police report. First stating the crime scene, then it began to go back, saying that it was when my father and I were getting lunch. It says that I slipped out for a few minutes angered before going back in and screaming. There had been no proof to link it back to me.
Scoffing I skipped a few more lines and saw that in big bold letters it said, 'Actual Report'. I was broke off from reading when a sharp blaring cut through the cold air. "Haruhi-san," an old man I hadn't seen before stepped out and bowed deeply before indicating the door. "Morinozuka-sama explained that I should pick up the brunette girl by the telephone booth," he said as if confirming to himself that the girl that Sakura was describing was me. I shifted to my feet and carefully placed the folders into the backpack. After a small bow, I thanked him before climbing it. I was finally going back to the Morinozuka residence; the exact place that I would soon find out would help me uncover the truth.