MISPER

Misper

Inspector Natsume's phone ringed again. He had been on the phone the whole day. He, his team and other teams were searching through areas they assumed Persona could be hiding. They searched at camping places, parks, and remote places with forests. There were so many people it was scary. There had not been an action like that before.

And even if he was busy asking people questions and overall investigating, his phone was always ringing. Sometimes it was his boss, or one of his co-workers, or just other people from the station. Natsume sighed as he saw his boss's number on the display and picked up the phone.

''Hello?''

''Hyuuga-san. We have a huge problem.'' His boss started without a greeting.

Natsume tensed and listened.

''Mikan Sakura disappeared.''

Natsume stopped in his tracks. ''…What?''

''Her friend called that she didn't return after she went to the police station. It's been 7 hours.'' Captain Jinno explained, his voice strained. He knew what this meant. And he knew Natsume knew too.

For a moment, Natsume froze to the spot and his brain stopped functioning. For a moment, he went deaf and blind and did not feel anything. It was like the world stopped.

Then he woke up from his daze.

''What happened?''

''You seriously won't like it.''

''What had happened?'' he demanded once again.

Captain Jinno was silent for a second. ''Your replacement behind the desk threw her out of the station after she told him she was being followed.''

''He what?!''

''He's waiting outside my office. Come as fast as you can, Hyuuga. If the press gets wind of another failure, we'll have serious problems.''

''On my way.'' Natsume ended the call and took a deep breath. Rage filled his chest and he barked for Misaki and Tsubasa to come with him. He explained the situation to them as they drove to the station. No one said anything after that.

When they arrived, Natsume marched inside into the Captain's office. He glanced at the video tape his boss was watching while his replacement was sweating in his seat, and told him he can pack his things. The same went for the two who accompanied her out.

''Even if she weren't Mikan Sakura, the woman who practically visited the station every week – you saw her several times – you don't turn your back on people in need like that. I have no idea what possessed you to do that, but we'll check your background, just to be safe this wasn't done on purpose.'' Jinno told the youngster.

Natsume stared at the video, watching the girl who had disappeared. As he saw her stressed expression, he turned away and walked out of the office. He called a few from his team, looked at Misaki and Tsubasa, and together they went to Hotaru Imai to listen to her statement.

''I was at work and she said she'd go to the station and I thought 'it's all right, they would watch over her', but then she wasn't back for hours and I tried to call her and she didn't pick up the phone and- and-'' Hotaru Imai cried, stumbling over words and sniffing into her handkerchief.

''I mean, she always called me, and now I we agreed she would inform me of everything!''

Natsume nodded understanding, but did not pat her shoulder. He knew that emotional people who he was supposed to have an official relationship with are not to be touched. He could not help himself with Mikan, but he had no problems with other people.

''It's my fault! I should have brought her away as soon as you found Yuka. But I waited until it was too late.'' Hotaru wiped her tears away, her hands shaking. She had been waiting for Mikan to come home for hours. The missing girl had called her after she was thrown out of the station and told her what had happened. She also told her she would wait for Inspector Natsume to return her call and come to the station. Mikan also promised she would stay at a nearby cafe to wait.

Misaki and Tsubasa were already checking that information.

''Miss Imai. It's not your fault. Miss Sakura had her own will, which I also experienced and I don't believe you would have been able to persuade her to stop and go away.'' Natsume assured Hotaru and she nodded.

''Now, please try to remember everything that had happened?''

Hotaru gulped and took a deep breath. She thought about it. ''It was a normal day actually. Mikan and I just came from our morning walk and we cooked something. After lunch, Mikan decided to go visit her mother, and I had to go to the lab for a few hours to check one of my experiments.''

Hotaru grimaced in an attempt to not cry again. ''We talked over phone for the last time when she told me about the station incident and I demanded she came back and locks the door, but… And when I came home she wasn't there.'' She sniffed. ''And I couldn't reach her phone.'' Tears spilled down her cheeks. ''And I called around asking our friends if they saw her and I even ran down to the cafe where she was supposed to be, but they told me that she left hours ago.'' She broke into an uncontrolled crying fit.

Natsume looked at one of his female co-workers, Anna Umenomiya, and she quickly came to comfort the crying Hotaru. Her and Mikan's friends were waiting in the other room, everyone in the same devastating state.

Anna helped Hotaru to calm down and sta down next to her. Natsume stood up to go out, but stopped before he reached the door. He looked back at Hotaru. ''Did Miss Sakura say anything else about her following Persona around? Does she have anything that could help us to find her?''

Hotaru raised her face to him, her cheeks wet from tears. ''T-there- There's a lot of stuff in her flat. I think more photos and- I don't know… I think you should have a look. Maybe it could help.''

Natsume thanked her and walked out, passing the room with other Mikan's friends who were either crying or sat there in shock. Natsume's phone ringed. It was Tsubasa.

''Yeah?''

''She was in the cafe for an hour. Drank tea and ate Imagawayaki. The waitress said that she remembered her because she suddenly stood up, paid too much and rushed out. The homeless in front of the cafe also remembers her because she gave him some money too. He saw her stand in front of the cafe after she rushed out and look around frantically. He said she looked concerned and troubled as she walked past him with her phone in hand. He did not see what she was doing, but she wasn't calling anyone.''

Natsume thought about it. What was she doing? ''What else?'' There was tension in the air, Natsume could feel it. Tsubasa did not tell him something.

''Her… Uh… We found a shoe on the parking nearby. It might not be hers, but it was near and…''

''Send it to the lab.'' Natsume demanded. ''How does it look like?''

''I sent you a picture.''

Natsume took a look at the picture Tsubasa had sent him and blinked. It was a black sneaker lying on the concrete. He noticed she wore sneakers whenever she walked around the city because it was more comfortable. He had a feeling it was hers. ''It might belong to her yes.''

''Actually, there's 'Mikan' written inside the shoe…'' Tsubasa told him.

Natsume's eyes widened. He quickly turned around and rushed back inside Hotaru Imai's flat. He opened the door and saw her still sit on the couch, now calmer. Her friends around her. ''Miss Imai!''

She looked up in confusion.

''Did Miss Sakura write her name in her shoes?''

Hotaru blinked, then nodded. ''Actually yes. Since she was young, she wrote her name in her shoes. It was a habit she started in primary school.''

Natsume walked to her, having Tsubasa still on the phone. ''Would you take a look at this?'' he showed her the picture of the shoe. Hotaru and her friends took a look. ''That's Mikan's for sure.'' Said one of the friends. If Natsume remembered right, it was Kokoro Yome. ''These were the only black sneakers she had. We all made fun of her because she never wore black and she got them as a gift from Sumire, once she told us she was pregnant.''

Natsume nodded. ''Thank you.''

''You heard that?'' he asked into his phone.

''Right. We'll still check it for anything unusual.'' Tsubasa answered.

''Right.'' Natsume ended the call and bid goodbye to Hotaru and her friends. He called his boss and told him the information and mentioned that he was going to check Mikan's flat.

''Right. Nogi and his team are on their way already. I thought you might go there so I think they're already waiting.'' Jinno told him and hung up.

Natsume blinked in surprise at his phone and shook his head. He drove to Mikan's apartment and noticed a few police cars.

''Ruka.'' He said as a greeting. The blonde man greeted him back with a small smile. ''Hey Natsume. I hope we'll be able to help.''

''Let's get started then.''

As they walked into the flat, Natsume noticed there was nothing different about it since he was here the last time. It was tidy and organized and to put it frankly, cute. They took a look around, Natsume taking her bedroom.

It was a small but spacy room in a pale yellow colour with a big bed in the corner. There was a wardrobe and a shelf for stuff she just dropped off on the other side and a huge window with a nice view. Natsume noticed the photos right away. She only gave him those with clear faces, but she kept the blurred ones. Natsume took a look and recognized a few. There was Persona stalking women. And there was one that made his blood freeze. The man was looking straight at him. And at Mikan who took the photo at that time.

Persona had seen her.

He had targeted her.