-Faith, Love, and Forgiveness - Chapter Seven: Desperation-
Kaeda House: The next afternoon
"I can't believe I scored lower than you!" Yuka complained.
"It's just a History test, there's no reason to get salty about it."
"I am NOT being salty, Kouta! I just think it's ridiculous that you can slack off on your studies and still have a better grade than me!" Yuka ranted. To her, it didn't make any sense that she could do worse on a test than someone who barely studied, never did homework, and spent more time sleeping during class than he did actually bothering to pay attention.
It just wasn't fair, and Yuka was voicing this unfairness loud enough for Nana and Mayu to hear it before they even made it inside the house. Once they walked in, the two girls stopped working on making lunch long enough to come over and greet them.
"How did it go? Did you pass?" Nana asked innocently. This triggered yet another tirade from Yuka, who stormed off when Kouta told her she was acting awfully childish over a five-point difference in their scores. Not really in the mood to put up with his cousin's bitching, he told the girls he was going to go take a nap and give her time to cool off before trying to talk to her again.
Once in his room, an irritated Kouta crawled in bed, not even bothering to take his shoes off before doing so. Just as he was beginning to doze off, he heard his bedroom door open and close. Moments later, someone slipped under the covers with him, and he didn't even have to look to know who it was.
"No offense, but what are you doing in here?"
Cuddling up against him, Lucy slipped an arm around him and hugged him from behind.
"What do you think I'm doing?" she asked.
"Disturbing my nap?" he replied, annoyed.
The moment he said that, he kicked himself mentally. Sighing, he rolled over to face her.
"I'm sorry, that was uncalled for..." he apologized.
Lucy just shook her head, sliding closer until she was pressed up against him.
"It's alright. I heard what was going on." she answered. Yuka was never exactly her favorite resident of Kaeda House, and she certainly wasn't doing herself any favors by having a hissy fit over something as stupid as a five point difference on a History test.
Kouta looked at her apologetically, "That's still no excuse to take it out on you."
The Diclonius just smiled, leaning in to give her boyfriend a comforting kiss on the lips, "Don't worry about it, Kouta... I understand." He sighed, slipping an arm under her neck and holding her against him.
"I know she's part of your family, but it really pisses me off to hear her insult you like that. If she didn't do as well as you did, that's her problem."
'Ain't that the truth...' he thought privately.
"I'm sorry, I'm not trying to turn you against her or anything, but..."
"Don't apologize. I get it." Kouta said with a yawn.
She smiled, brushing pink hair out of her face before leaning in for another kiss.
After a few silent minutes, he felt her slowly start pulling away from him.
"What's wrong?"
Lucy looked at him in confusion, "I was going to leave so you could take a nap."
"Could you maybe, just... stay and nap with me?"
The pink-haired girls confused expression turned into a loving smile, and she cuddled back up against him.
"I'd love to."
The couple shifted a bit to get comfortable and fell asleep together in minutes.
Diclonius Research Institute: Meanwhile
"I can't take this anymore..."
Lying naked on the bathroom floor, Arakawa was in so much pain she gave serious thought to attacking one of the guards, taking his gun, then using it on herself.
She had been called to Kakuzawa's office just over an hour ago for yet another one of the sick old bastards 'progress reports'. The moment she walked into his office, she could sense that something seemed... different. As always, he asked if the second witness had been located yet. With a sigh, Arakawa started to just bend over the desk and get it over with.
"No, there'll be no need for that this time." he told her unexpectedly. Standing back up, the timid scientist actually thought for a moment maybe her "boss" had decided to discontinue the sexual abuse he'd been forcing on her for months.
"Tell me, plaything... how long do you intend on making me wait until you find me what I want?" he asked.
"Sir, I... I've been looking as diligently as I can. I know it's taking longer than expected, but I'll... I'll find him, I just need time."
"It's been over six months, plaything. It seems you're unable to deliver what I want without a little more... incentive."
The Director picked up the phone and dialed a four-digit extension.
"Go ahead and send them in." he instructed, waiting in silence as the young woman tried her best to talk him out of whatever it was he had planned for her.
The visibly terrified Arakawa turned around upon hearing the door open. Several of the Institute's security personnel entered the office and approached the mousey scientist. She first thought they were there to kill her, but then noticed that none of them had weapons.
"Gentleman, have you made a decision on the proposal?" Kakuzawa asked.
"Yes, Sir. We accept."
"Very well. You may begin." he instructed.
"P-Proposal?" Arakawa asked.
"It has become clear that you're not being sufficiently motivated by our... usual method. I had thought you would have found me what I want by now, but it seems that you require a little bit more persuasion."
Nodding to the men, one of them grabbed the frightened woman's wrists and roughly handcuffed her. A second man pulled out a switchblade knife and began cutting her clothes off, ignoring her terrified begging.
"You see, plaything... I tire of having to personally administer corrective action. You're a fun little toy to play with, but I'm a generous man, and... I believe it's time to give someone else a turn." he said.
"Y-You... you're really gonna let them do this to me?!" she cried as the man with the knife finished cutting off her clothes.
"LET them? Plaything, I'm PAYING them to." Kakuzawa told the hysterical girl.
"Sir, would you like us to take her somewhere more... private?" one of the men asked in what could possibly have been at least a vague attempt to preserve some of the crying girl's decency.
"Why? There's plenty of space right here on the floor." the Director said in a voice so devoid of conscience even the guards felt a chill go down their spines. Pulling up a chair, Kakuzawa gleefully ordered them to begin, watching the entire ordeal like it was a Broadway musical being put on just for him.
"One-hundred thousand Yen to whoever makes her scream the loudest!"
And scream she did. He didn't allow them to actually hit, slap, or kick her, but that was pretty much the only limit they had. Everything else was fair game.
After it was over, Arakawa limped to her bathroom, locked the door, and collapsed; naked, in agony, and bleeding. It took over an hour to muster the strength to get up. Taking a good look in the mirror, she broke down emotionally just from thinking about what she had decided to do.
"I can't take this anymore... if I don't do this, I'm going to die here." she sobbed.
As badly as she hated herself for it, she decided the only way out of this hell-hole was to betray the student that was with her when she discovered the Professor's body. She didn't know his name, but she'd recognize him if she saw him. Hopefully, she could convince the Director that she'd never find him if she stayed at the Institute.
She didn't have another "meeting" until next week. When she went, she planned to ask him for permission to return to Kamakura and find the second witness. She didn't know how, but hopefully he wouldn't ask.
Staring at her reflection, she wondered outloud what Kakuzawa planned to do with the student if she found him.
"No... there's no point worrying about it. This is my only hope of getting out of here, so what he does to that kid isn't my problem. It's either me or him."
Kaeda House: Thirty minutes later
"Do either of you know where Kouta went?"
"Umm... I think he said he was going to take a nap." Mayu answered. Yuka thanked the girls and headed straight for her cousin's room. When lightly tapping on the doorframe yielded no answer, she quietly opened the door and stepped inside. She had planned to just leave him be if he were asleep (which he clearly was). As she turned to leave, Yuka noticed pink hair on his pillow.
A closer look confirmed the Diclonius was indeed in bed with him.
The two of them were facing, their bodies pressed right up against each other as if they had fallen asleep hugging (which they basically did). Looking down at them, she couldn't help but feel jealous. Both of them claimed to be "just old friends", but they sure looked like lovers to her.
Even if they weren't, why was Nyu so damn special? She was literally part of his family, but he'd never cuddle in bed like that with HER. After Nyu left Kaeda House, Kouta stayed locked in his room and refused to talk to or spend time with anyone for nearly a week. Would he be just as depressed if she went missing?
'Probably not...' she told herself bitterly.
She debated whether or not to wake them up, but ultimately decided against it... at least for now.
Leaving the sleeping couple alone, Yuka decided to go make herself a sandwich and spend some time reading in her room. The cousin's hadn't really talked about what to have for dinner that night, so she decided to wait on making anything until Kouta woke up.
Two hours later
When she finally got bored of reading, she returned to the kitchen to find Kouta and Lucy at the kitchen table, watching in amusement as Mayu tried to explain to Nana the concept of a mysterious human ritual known as "homework".
"That doesn't make any sense! If you're supposed to be doing this kind of stuff at school, why do they make you do it at home, too?"
"Think of it as "practice". Like... if you were a professional piano player, you'd go to a concert and perform, but before you did, you'd practice at home to make sure you're prepared for it."
"What's a concert?"
Thankfully, Yuka interrupted by asking Kouta what he thought they should do for dinner.
"Um... I'm not sure. What do you think?"
Yuka thought it over for a moment.
"I don't really feel like cooking, so how about we have something delivered?"
This seemed fine with everyone else. When she asked for ideas, Nana immediately voted on burgers. Nobody objected, so Yuka made the call and ordered.
After dinner, the makeshift little family went for a nighttime walk together instead of sitting around watching TV as always.
"You know, this is kinda nice." Lucy smiled.
"The weather, or the walk?" Nana asked.
"Well... both, actually." Lucy answered. "It's nice weather, and it's nice to get out of the house for a while."
"We should go on walks more often. I know we walk Wanta every day, but I mean walking just for fun."
As the two Diclonii and Mayu were a little bit ahead, Kouta and Yuka lagged behind. Before they even left home, Yuka pulled Lucy aside and told her she planned to apologize to Kouta, but didn't want to do it right in front of everyone. The pink-haired girl understood, and let Yuka have her privacy. Whatever she told him, Kouta was bound to fill her in on it later.
"Um... Kouta? Look, I... I'm sorry about earlier." Yuka quietly said.
"It's fine, you don't have to apologize." he replied.
"Yes, I do. I threw such a bitch-fit over five measly points. Nyu was right, if I scored less than you, it's my own fault. I shouldn't be blaming you for it."
He smiled at his cousin. She'd always had a competitive streak that made her obsess over being the best at everything. It suited her, but it had caused problems in the past. When she was testing for her Driver's License, the guy ahead of her attended the same school she did. She had somewhat of a crush on him, so when he told her his score, she insisted on beating it.
What she actually did was run a red light, jump the curb and hit a light pole. Test failed, no License issued, try again in ten days.
And pay for the damage to the car and light pole, obviously.
"Off topic, but I bought something for Nana to help her learn a little more about money and finance."
When she told him what it was, he just looked at her in confusion.
"But that's an American game that uses American currency. How's that going to help?"
"Just trust me, ok?"
As skeptical as he was, it seemed to be worth a shot. Even if it didn't help at all, at least they could have fun trying.
"If you say so..."
As they walked home, they were all blissfully unaware that by this time next week, events would already be set in motion that could no longer be stopped, mitigated, or ignored. Events that would threaten the lives of everyone at Kaeda House, and leave Kouta and Lucy's relationship hanging by a thread.