Chapter 6
I glanced towards both sides of the hallway before making my way out of the classroom. My last lesson had ended, and I wanted to get out of the building as soon as possible.
Ever since I'd seen how troublingly confidant Sakura looked just before the first lesson had started, I had done my best to avoid her. Even during lunch hour, I had somehow been able to avoid prompting her attention.
It's not that I'm really scared of her. On the contrary, I entertained myself with the fact that she was really a coward, picking on people she knew wouldn't fight back. And ever since a boy had actually decided to pick a fight with one of the more bratty girls a couple years back, the teachers had been carefully watching every interaction between boys and girls to be sure there were no fights. Only the most rebellious youths would even try to pick a fight, and the ones who did had always gotten caught. Like I said before, Chitanda loved to rub this fact into other peoples' faces.
Of course, that's not to say I ever would have hit a girl. After all, that was and is against moral principles. Still, I couldn't help feeling the temptation to slap her in the face at times.
However, I was under the distinct impression I wouldn't have to bear that burden that day. The school exit was right in front of me, and if I just walked a couple more steps, I knew I was going to make it home.
The thing is I didn't get to walk a couple more steps.
"Where are you going in such a hurry, Okazaki?"
She'd followed me out. She must have realized I'd been avoiding her, and decided to take her chance now. She leaned against the wall, and let a small cackle leave her mouth.
"Home, where else would I go after lessons are done?"
"Don't play dumb with me," She smirked evilly. "Are you going to smuggle candy from a bunch of department stores on your way back?"
"Yeah right," I laughed. I might have continued my insult rant had it not been for the presence of a teacher just outside the door. "It's lame to do something like that."
"You're right," She grunted. "You'd go for the illegal stuff."
"I don't have time for this," I stubbornly walked away from her. "Have fun not going home from school,"
I swung open the door, and started to walk out.
"You know," She took out a nail filer, and started neatening her nails. "Everybody knows about you,"
My hand froze on the door handle. "'Knows what?"
"'Knows about your dad?"
I let my tightened teeth show through my lips. The teacher in front of me took a step forward to remind me of his presence.
"What are you talking about?"
"They know he's a lazy drunk," She lowered her eyebrows. "And you know what?"
I should've just stomped away like I always had. After all, it wasn't unlike her to take cheap shots at people.
It's just; she hadn't tried it with me before.
"What?"
"He doesn't have a job either," She started to retrace the footsteps I'd taken to get to the door. "And being the stupid guy you are, you probably just sit back and watch him rot. I bet you probably drink just like he does."
I couldn't take it anymore. If another word left her mouth, I wasn't sure what my next actions were going to be.
"And I bet you help him with that," She narrowed her eyes. "You steal the alcohol for him,"
She grinned. "Don't you?"
"Shut up!" I slammed the door behind me, and stomped towards her. "You don't know anything about me! And if you say another word about my father, then I'm going to,"
"Okazaki-san, that is quite enough,"
The teacher who had been watching the fight interrupted us. His eyes evoked intense anger, his hands ready to pull me away from her if need be.
"You have no right to yell at her like that."
"Didn't you hear a word she said?" I turned around and stepped towards him. "She said that I-?"
"How do I know they're not true?" His eyebrows crease. "Okazaki, you are from a fractured household with a father who doesn't give a care about what happens to you."
He crosses his arms, boasting his authoritative position over me. "After all, if those things are true, then she has a perfectly good reason to think that might be the case."
My pupils shook in their position. Tears formed in the corners of my eyes. After a second, I dashed around my teacher, and straight out the door.
"Chitanda-san, I would avoid that ruffian if I were you-"
I ran away. Far, far away from the school building.
Up until then, she had just been a nuisance. A gripe I had to deal with every so often while I was at school.
Up until then, I only had a vague idea of exactly how cruel she could be.
Promising myself I could calm down by the time I made it there, I shifted my direction back towards her house. In the past, I'd visited her house quite often after school, so I was fairly familiar with the directions.
About fifteen minutes later, I reached Kotomi's house. I knocked at the door.
Just like before, her guardian was the one who answered the door.
"Okazaki-san? I thought you might come." His statement was formal, but it almost sounded like he was showing warmth. Despite his good intentions, I felt myself feeling painfully sentimental at hearing such a tone.
"Is Kotomi-chan not busy?"
He noticed the look in my eyes. I could tell he realized I had been crying not long ago.
Before he could more properly address the issue, Kotomi appeared to his side.
"It's good to see you again, Tomoya-kun." She greeted me more happily than she did before.
"You too, Kotomi-chan." I'd smiled. She seemed to be more cheery than the last time I'd seen her. At least there was something I knew I was moving along smoothly.
"Is it alright if I bring you up to my room? There's something I'm working on that I think you should know about." She looked at her Guardian.
"May Tomoya-kun come to my room?"
"Of course,"
My guardian tilted his hat, and stepped to the side. Tomoya nodded affirmatively, and followed me up the stairs.
Earlier that day, I had attended school as I always had. My guardian's words from yesterday had been enough to lift my spirits. After the things he said, I really didn't want to think he had anything to do with what happened. In fact, such a thing seemed almost impossible to be true.
As for my investigation, I hadn't made a lot of progress since then. I'd done some quick research before I started on my way to school without any significant gains in knowledge. For a little while, I was almost worried that I might be at a dead end.
That was when I realized I still had a way of possibly furthering my investigation.
I opened the door, and ushered him inside. I closed the door behind us.
"What's wrong?" He asked. "I mean, I know your guardian's a grump, but he seemed kind of-"
He stopped, finally noticing the papers attached to the walls. Once he realized what they discussed, his eyes widened considerably. A gasp nearly escaped his lips, but he was able to quiet the urge to speak.
"What is all this?"
I ran over to my bed, and grabbed the page I had printed from the blank domain from behind my pillow. I handed it over to him, wondering what his exact response might be.
"Kotomi…" His eyes turned more intense. "Is this the research you've been doing these past few days?"
I stared somewhat anxiously at the floor, and nodded.
"Why have you been collecting all these?" He pointed to one of the more negatively worded commentaries. "This stuff is only gonna make you feel worse."
"It's… Well…" I was finding it difficult to boldly state what was going on. I knew I had to, though; I didn't want to confuse him any further. "I've arrived at the conclusion that my parents didn't just die in a plane crash. I think… I think that they were murdered."
Tomoya's eyes grew wide.
"Don't say that. You, didn't they say it was an accident?"
I proceeded to explain to him about the letter my guardian had given to me, the strange wording of said letter, details of the research I had conducted, and finally the message I found on the internet.
After I finished, Tomoya leaned back against the right wall in my room, trying to absorb the information I'd just told him.
"…Are you alright?"
I sighed, but quickly responded. "I'm fine, Tomoya-kun. I can't say this hasn't affected me, but I feel better knowing you're here to support me."
"I'm glad you're feeling better," He took another look at the papers. "But even with what you've told me, this stuff seems kinda weird. I mean, your parents were really nice, why would anyone want to kill them? Besides," He straightened his posture, no longer leaning against the wall behind him. "Isn't this something the police should be worrying about?"
"The police are not far from closing the investigation," I sighed. "My guardian already told me that they'd come to the conclusion my parents' death was an accident. It won't be long before there won't be an investigation," I looked at the lap top screen in front of me. "Besides, I have developed a couple of consistencies since I started. Since I don't want to bore you with uncertain details, I'll start with the one I know is true."
He appeared uneasy as I detached a couple of papers from the wall.
"First of all, there's this man," I pointed to a portrait next to one of the other articles. "This man is Hideki Hiromu. He was a long-time colleague of my parents in their research. He was one of the three men who'd come to visit me on my doorstep,"
I motioned to an article that featured a commentary on an incident that occurred between him and my parents. "Apparently, when their research started to develop to a more theoretical stage, there was a debate over who should lead the research. Although my parents had more academic credentials, and also had more long-term interest in the project, they had the distinct advantage. However, he had some rather influential partners in the scientific community, and many of them vouched for his support. In the end, though, my parents ended winning out."
I pointed to the final article.
"He'd neglected to comment on the turn out, but I remember my parents had always said despite his competence, he wasn't always one of the most efficient workers on the job. He'd often be caught muttering threats under his breath, and would often boast a very superior demeanor towards my parents." I met with Tomoya's eyes. "I'm not saying he was the one who did it, but I wouldn't be surprised if further investigating aspects about him would help with the investigation."
He'd been paying attention. Tomoya had heard every word I said. But at that moment, my evidence wasn't anything of his concern.
"Does your guardian know about this?"
"I don't think so," I looked up at the articles on the wall. "Then again, he entered my room on the other day. I can't be one hundred percent sure if he knows what I suspect, but he probably does know what the research I've been conducting is about."
"Look, Kotomi," He looked into my eyes. "I don't really know much about stepping down to authority, but I think you should forget this whole thing."
"Tomoya," I addressed him without a suffix to confirm he'd listen to me. "I understand you're worried. But if there's even a chance there's something about my parents' death that I don't know about, then I have to look into it. What would happen if there's an man somewhere who is getting away with murder?"
"Kotomi," He stared down at the ground. "If you keep this research up, you're just going to end up hurting yourself. I mean, who knows what kind of hateful crud you're gonna find on there. You probably won't find anything, and it might just make you feel worse. I-" He walked over to me, and placed his hands on my shoulders. "I don't want you to get sad again. Not after how happy you've been,"
"Tomoya-kun," I felt tears sting my eyes. "The main reason I've started to feel happier is because I realize I have a duty to do,"
He gently lifted his hands from my shoulders while I stood up. "Inside my heart, I would know if my parents' death was just an accident. Even if I went into denial for a while, I know I'd be able to accept it." I held up the paper that had frightened me. "But after seeing this, and the evidence I've collected, I know what I need to do. Please, don't worry about what happens to me. I promise I'll be safe."
His face descended into a frown. He spent what felt like hours considering everything I had just told him. Finally, he lightened up slightly.
"You won't have to promise that,"
He patted my head. "I'll keep you safe. It's what I'm here for,"
His words instantly brought a smile to my face. He hadn't accepted my decision, but it seemed he was at least going to tolerate it. "What are you going to do next?"
"I realize I'm going to have to find a firsthand source," I glanced to the door. "I have to ask my guardian some questions about the whole situation."
"Then I'll go with you," I wasn't going to be able to mount an objection. I didn't see much of a practical reason to keep him up here. Besides, I felt I was going to need my support to get the answers I needed from him. "If we're going to get him to talk, we're going to need to bring our A-game,"
I giggled softly while he led me to the door. Then, he turned the knob on the door, silently confirming with me that I wanted to follow through with the plan.