Chapter 15

The next day Eri was trying to search for Minako. Again she had disappeared at lunch without even bothering to tell her. She sprinted down the hallways, rudely pushing people aside as she panted heavily. That little shit! I'll definitely kill her once I find her! She thought as she continued bolting. She checked several classrooms, the cafeteria and then tried the library.

"Minako!" she yelled loudly. The gakuran cladded boy, Izaya, who had also given her a standing ovation after her win against Shishizaki and his gang just the day before, was sitting at a table in the back like usual. He saw her and placed an index finger to his lips.

"Shhhh. It's a library you know." he berated. She gritted her teeth but tried to calm herself down so she wouldn't get in trouble with the librarian. She walked up to him.

"Have you seen Minako?"

"Who?" he pretended not to know.

"Brown eyes, curly black hair, flat-board chest, average height." Eri bluntly described.

"If you're talking about your little sister that you beat up every day, maybe she's crying in a corner somewhere hoping you won't find her." he mocked. She slammed her fists on her table and leaned in close to shoot a deadly glare. Izaya haughty demeanor didn't waver and he continued to smirk.

"My you're aggressive." he taunted.

"And what would make you say that?" she growled.

"Isn't it obvious; I mean, why wouldn't she runaway from someone who constantly abuses her?"

"I never would abuse her." She protested. He made a sly smirk and chuckled.

"Oh really? Then what do you call the beatings you give her?"

"It's training! Minako is a latchkey kid with no street smarts whatsoever; I can't leave her alone but I can't always watch her either, so I have to make sure she's capable of fending for herself." she explained.

"And you do this by kicking the shit out of her every day until she can hardly walk and stay conscious? Yeah, that sure will help protect herself."

Eri's patience started wearing thin.

"You know I don't have to take this; just tell me where Minako is and I'll be on my way."

"Have you tried the rooftop?" he asked. With that Eri began hurrying on her way but Izaya needled her with another question.

"One more thing," he said, compelling her to halt. Her jittery body tried to keep still.

"Ugh, what now?" She said, sounding annoyed.

"You say that what you do is protection; that it's love. Tell me honestly, do you think she loves you back?"

Eri's mouth finally kept closed. Her anxious body seemed to return to its composed state. Without a word, she hurried off, not answering Izaya's question.

###

Eri wasn't sure how to answer his question, even if she was honest. Because, honestly, she didn't know. She hoped that Minako liked her and that she thought of her as a friend. But, she couldn't say that she knew certainly that Minako reciprocated her feelings. From what they've been through so far, their relationship seemed to drift in between the borderlines of being close friends and complete strangers. There were still some things that made Minako complete enigma to her.

And furthermore how did that guy with the gakuran know about their relationship? Was it from rumors that their classmates started? Did he stalk the girls? Or was it because he actually knew Minako even though he said he didn't. Minako had been usually running away to the library for seclusion, maybe she had been talking to him.

But she didn't have time to ponder about questions like that. Her priority was to find Minako. She leapt up the several flights of stairs hoping that when she reached the top, her friend would be there.

"Minako!" she yelled at the top of her lungs to the sky. She looked around her and saw no one there. She panted and her knees suddenly felt wobbly. Eri supported herself against the silvery railings, the fall breeze running through her brunette locks. She brushed her bangs back and sighed.

"Eri-san?" She heard that familiar voice say. She spun around and saw Minako staring at her with a book in her hand.

"Y-you're here? But I didn't see you..." her loud voice slowly became soft and slow.

"I was behind there." Minako replied, pointing behind her. It was the small rectangle thing that had the door which was the entrance to the stairs. That explained why she didn't see her at first. Abruptly, Eri threw her arms around Minako and embraced her tightly. Minako blushed a bit.

"E-Eri-san?"

"You made me run through the entire school looking for you. I didn't know where you were." she said softly.

"I-I'm sorry." Minako stuttered. All of the sudden she heard a stifled chuckle and next thing she knew she was forced down to the cement ground, rolled so she would lie on her stomach and her arms locked behind her back. Eri was grinning manically at her.

"An 'I'm sorry' isn't enough this time you pinprick." she cursed. She got up and before Minako could pick herself up she kicked her in the face. Eri snatched her by the collar and shook her.

"Don't just run away from me like that! I don't understand why you always run away from me!" she yelled. Minako gave up prying Eri's grip on her collar and instead just gently held her hand. For a brief second, Eri saw what she thought was a gleam of hurt in her eyes. With a huff she released her grasp, walking away and leaving Minako sitting there on the ground with a thin stream of blood running down her chin.

Eri stuffed her hands in the pockets of her blazer and walked nonchalantly away. As she walked down the stairs, she wiped her eyes with her sleeve.