Chapter six:

Near stares at Mello for a long moment as though thinking this whole thing over in his own head. He finally lets out a soft sigh and turns away closing his eyes as he does so only to open them when he is facing away from the blonde haired boy. "Honestly Mello?" His almost somber sounding words causes Mello to lean a little closer in curiosity of what he will say in response to this. "I don't actually know what I am going to do. I have a lot to think over and process. I understand that it was years ago. However now that I am being confronted with all of this after what had happened so suddenly thanks to her return into my life in a way. So I suppose I will need to let myself go over everything finally." He slightly turns to glance to Mello though he doesn't fully allow the other to see his face properly. "All that I ask of you right now is some space to try to figure out everything for myself. It is up to you what you will do from here. I am more than well aware that there is no way for me to make you do what I am hoping that you will do. So I suppose do whatever you want Mello. Hopefully you have the answers that you have wanted." He turns fully away again and this time he leaves the room.

Mello is left alone in the silence of the room after Near has left. He stares at the door that has been left open by a crack after Near left only closing it most of the way. He isn't sure what exactly he should do anymore. He doesn't really think that pushing the two together is the right thing to do anymore. He isn't such a big jerk that he would force things after hearing what had happened between the two of them. He tries to think of what to do from here… Coming up with nothing… He isn't sure how long he has been staring at the door before he drops his gaze downwards. He can't make his next move until he knows just what that will mean. He doesn't want to be seen as the kind of guy that would do something crazy mean to someone after hearing such a tragic tale. He clenches his teeth as he starts to wonder if the only thing that he can do from here is to let all of this go, to watch things play out without his intervention in anyway.

….

A figure carefully looks around the main floor of the orphanage despite it now being very late into the night. The figure moves forward after not seeing anyone around. The figure sneaks around which is easy as everyone has gone to sleep at this point. The figure makes it a set of doors that are currently locked. Crouching the figure begins work on picking the lock until the lock clicks open allowing the figure access. The figure carefully opens one of the two doors stepping into the cafeteria of the orphanage. The figure goes straight to the door that leads to the kitchen which also just happens to be locked.

The lock is picked on this door as well.

The figure opens one of the cupboards in the kitchen pulling down one of the tins that happens to be in there. Opening it the figure dumps some powder into the powder that is already in there quickly mixing it in before putting the lid back on.

The container is put back where it was found and the cupboard is closed as if nothing happened.

The figure heads for the door pausing after closing it in order to make sure that it is locked once more. The figure hurries towards the main doors to the cafeteria quickly doing the same thing so no one knows that anyone was even in there during the night. The figure hurries off to escape without being caught now that the mission has been completed.

….

Mello walks into the cafeteria for morning breakfast. He didn't sleep well as he had barely slept last night. His mind had been racing most of the night. His eyes flicker to the side to slightly acknowledge that Near is also here. He can tell, even through just that one glance, that Near didn't sleep well last night either. He does feel only slightly better that he isn't the only one who had his thoughts affecting his sleep last night. He gets the breakfast that is being served and sits at a table that is where he can see Near while also being able to listen to the teachers talking together; Well the teachers who are awake and in the cafeteria currently.

"Does this coffee taste a bit different than usual?" One teacher inquires to the other teachers staring down into the white mug swirling the liquid inside before taking a sip.

"I thought so too." Another teacher hums glancing to his own cup of coffee. "Maybe the orphanage had to buy a new blend? There was that lactose free milk recall that was soon followed by the cucumber recall. And just a few months ago there was the granola bars recall. Seems like a lot of foods are being contaminated in one way or another now a days."

"I didn't hear about any recall of coffee." A third teacher adds her own input. "I do look at some news articles in the morning. I saw mentions of the other recalls you mentioned. However nothing about any coffee being recalled."

"Then maybe they replaced the creamer?" The fourth teacher brings up as a possibility. "I mean for all we know the creamer was a part of the company that had the milk recalled. So they thought it would be safer to replace it just to be safe?"

"Yeah. That's gotta be the reason." The first teacher takes another sip of his coffee as that issues seems to have been resolved.

Mello isn't really sure why but he gets a bad feeling in his gut about that. He decides that he must just be tired and focuses on eating his breakfast.

Later…

Mello is sitting in class listening boredly to the teacher teach advanced mathematics. He has already gotten to know what is being taught very well so he doesn't have anything to really learn more about in this.

The teacher pauses to let out a bunch of coughs hunching over as the coughs leave him gasping.

Mello blinks in interest now as something didn't seem right about those coughs. He swears that it didn't sound like a normal cold especially since those coughs came on suddenly.

The teacher sneezes into his hand only for some blood to drip down off of his hand. He stares at his hand in shock while some orphans gasp and others scream at the sight.

Mello's eyes dart to Near wondering if he knows what might be going on with the teacher. He doesn't miss the horrified look that is written across Near's face at seeing what is happening. His stomach turns realizing that this is certainly not good at all.

The class is soon evacuated as the teacher presses the emergency assistance button on his desk.

The consolers are quick to invite the orphans to their offices if they would like. They easily keep the attention away from the teacher being rushed to the medical room of the orphanage.

Mello looks for Near only to see the other run outside slipping away unnoticed by anyone else. He follows after the other and is lead into the forested area behind the orphanage. "Near!" His call to the other makes him slow down to a stop letting the blonde catch up. He doesn't miss how Near doesn't turn his way and breathes heavily. "What is going on?"

"The symptoms." Near takes a moment to try to calm his breathing. "They started just like the symptoms did back where I was born. When the government managed to get that illness to spread in our town."

Mello feels his heart hit his stomach upon hearing this from the other.