Chapter 12: Moving Forward
Everyone returns to sleep about an hour later. Darren and Ricky are back in the bedroom, lying on the floor and next to the sides of the double bed as they accompany Haruka throughout the rest of the night. Shu and Inori are also back in the living area where the boy sleeps on the floor and the girl lies on the couch once more.
While Shu, Darren and Ricky fell asleep within minutes upon lying down, Inori however continued gazing at the ceiling as she stayed awake a little longer. Eventually though, the girl could feel her eyelids growing heavier, and she gradually drifted off into a much-needed slumber.
The next thing Inori knew when her eyes reopened was finding herself standing in the middle of a familiar white room. After taking a moment to look around the surroundings in front of her, she heard a familiar scornful voice calling out to her from behind.
"You…"
Inori turns around and comes face to face with her former friend, still returning the same ugly scowl she vividly remembered from their last encounter. Staying calm, she replied to him, "Gai."
"You and I have unfinished business to attend to." Gai said icily to her.
"Yes." Inori nodded. Irritated by her calm demeanor, Gai transforms his right arm into a long and sharp crystallized blade.
"You think facing me without fear makes you the perfect soldier?" Gai asked coldly as he held up his arm blade diagonally in front of him. "No. You'll never be one. Especially when you don't have the thought to save the ones who care for you."
"I know." Inori frowned. "I had the chance to save you, and I didn't take it. Gai…I've betrayed our friendship, and I truly am sorry."
Gai suddenly lets out a furious roar as he rushes over to his former friend. Now standing close to her, he holds up his arm blade horizontally in front of her neck. But even as the edge of his blade is just an inch away from her throat, Inori maintained her composure as she gazes into Gai's eyes.
The long-haired boy snarled at her before inveighing, "You think an apology is going to make me forget what you did?! No matter how many of them you make, your hands are forever stained with my blood."
"You're right." Inori responded. "I don't expect your forgiveness, because you have every right to despise me. Even so, I must keep moving forward."
"Moving forward? Are you discarding me?!" Gai asked accusingly.
"No." Inori shakes her head. "You will always be in my memories. But I cannot let your death weigh on my shoulders forever either. For a long time, I thought if I hid away my pain and emotions, I would be flawless. But I know now that I was wrong. That is why I'm done trying to be perfect. I'm going to live my life normal and free, just like every human being." Her lips curve up into a warm smile as she thought fondly of her companion. "Just like my new friend, Shu."
"And how exactly does living a normal life make you feel better? How exactly is living a life with this new friend of yours ever going to make up for what you did to me?" Gai asked coldly. "Hadn't you forgotten? This world is filled with violence and suffering, and the people around us are too selfish to realize it. The more you try to deny that fact, the pain you so desperately try to endure will only bring you back to me."
As her former friend explained, Inori's expression distorts into a solemn frown again. She nods her head in agreement and replied, "You're right. This world and its people can be ugly. But Shu proved me otherwise."
Gai watched as the girl now closes her eyes and remembers the conversation she and Shu had back in the restaurant in Bali, as well as the times when he argued with Haruka, and breaking down in tears after watching Kurosu's final video.
"He is a human who has suffered loss and expressed hatred towards others. He lived through a life of pain, misery and regret."
When Inori looked back at her former friend, she smiled again as she now reminisces about the happier times she and Shu spent together, such as their time in the bathroom, their visit to the barber, their first shopping trip in Bali, their visit to the waterpark, their first dance at the street market, hearing Shu's determination to protect and fight alongside her during their dinner around the campfire, watching him acknowledging Haruka as his mother for the first time ever, and finally their first kiss with one another.
"But what made me admire Shu is that despite all the torment, he still showed care and kindness to everyone around him. He showed strength and determination to protect the ones he cared for. And he showed me that there is still something good and noble inside all of us that is worth striving for."
Inori lowers her head and gently places her hand on her chest.
"I always thought that I was the stronger one. But I've come to realize that Shu and I are no different from each other. I too have my own flaws, doubts, miseries and regrets." She looks back at Gai again, this time with her eyes hardened. "And if that is a part of being human, I will accept it over a life without hardship and experience."
Gai stared wordlessly at Inori as he contemplated how important Shu is to her, and how much she has changed since the day she first met him. He also began to realize the resentment he had towards her is starting to fade and now being replaced with a sense of sadness and rejection. After backing away from her, he lowers his arm blade and transforms it back to its original form.
"So, you have found someone to replace me." Gai said flatly as he lowers his head. "I am no longer needed to you."
"No." Inori replied, causing Gai to lift his head up and look back at her. "My memories of you will always be a part of me. I am grateful for all the times you have defended me. And I will honor your sacrifice by living the rest of my life with Shu." She closed her eyes and gave a solemn bow to her former friend. "Goodbye, Gai."
With that, Inori stands back up, turns around and walks away from him. Knowing that he would never see her again, Gai turned his head away with a frown and muttered,
"Farewell…Inori…"
Despite hearing his forlorn voice echoing throughout the room, Inori kept walking with her head held high, and everything around her eventually turned white once more.
"Inori."
Upon hearing the calm voice calling out to her, Inori opens her eyes and slightly turns her head to her right to see Shu crouching beside the sofa at her level.
"Shu." Inori replied to him with a weak smile.
Smiling back at her, the boy caresses her left cheek before saying to her, "Come with me."
Inori and Shu climb up the stairs and make their way to the top of the yacht together with the boy following her from behind. After briefly holding up her left hand to prevent the sunlight from blinding her eyes, she arrives at the top and sees Darren and Ricky standing behind the parapet at the starboard and looking back at them.
"Good morning, Inori." Darren greeted her with a nod.
"Get over here and take a look at where we are now." Ricky added, gesturing Inori to come over. As Inori and Shu walk over, he and Darren move aside to allow them to place themselves behind the parapet. With Inori now standing beside him on his left, Ricky hands her his binoculars.
When Inori looks back to her front, she holds up the binoculars in front of her eyes and takes a closer look at what lies ahead of them in the distance. She could see a lone tall white lighthouse with a dome-shaped roof built on a very small island and surrounded by multiple palm trees. There is also a long and narrow bridge built in front of the lighthouse that leads to the island's only pier.
"See that lighthouse?" Darren asked Inori as he stood beside Shu on his left.
"Yes." Inori responded with a nod.
"That lighthouse is built on the southernmost island of Singapore." Darren said.
"We did it, Inori. We're nearing our destination." Shu said to his friend while standing beside her on her left and placing his arms on the parapet.
"However, until we are ready, we're not going over the maritime border yet." Ricky explained. "Singapore is a heavily protected nation with its coast guard patrolling its waters twenty-four seven. We need to know where exactly on its main island we are heading to first. It's time to spill the beans, Darren."
"Very well." Darren nodded to everyone beside him. "The place that I'm taking you all to is in Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. It's a nature park located at the northwestern corner of the main island. For us to be discreet, I highly recommend sailing to a marina at the west side of Singapore first. After that, we can travel the rest of the journey on the road."
"What about the authorities? Wouldn't they check if we have permission to enter the country as soon as they spot us?" Shu asked as he looked at Darren.
"Thankfully, I have a scanner at the cockpit." Ricky answered as everyone now turned to him. "It scans all your passports and sends the required information to the immigration authorities through the satellite network, which will allow us entry into the country. It's how we at the organization usually do to legally enter any country to perform our missions."
"What about me? I don't have a passport." Inori asked.
"The scanner can create one for you." Ricky said to her.
"That's a relief." Shu commented.
"So, are we ready?" Darren asked everyone as they turned to him again.
"Ready." Shu said as he, Inori and Ricky nodded.
"Ready." Inori added.
"Same here." Ricky shrugged.
"Me too." Haruka said, causing the four to turn around and see her walking over to them.
"Mom." Shu uttered as he goes over to her. Haruka smiles as she and Shu pull each other into a warm embrace. After backing away from one another, they turn back to Darren, and the stepmother nods her head to him.
"Let's do it." Darren said to everyone.
As everyone gathered at the cockpit, Ricky stood beside the right side of the control desk and pressed a button. He moved aside and Inori, Shu, Haruka and Darren watched a rectangular prism-like machine extending out from the bottom of the desk. It has a glass platen on top of it and a touchscreen above the bottom tray.
After removing a stick from the left side of the machine, Ricky turns to Inori and asks her to come over to him. She obliged and Ricky tells her to look straight and keep her eyes open as he holds up the stick in the air. He presses a button to light it up, and he carefully lowers the stick in front of Inori's face to scan her appearance from the top of her head to the bottom of her chin. Ricky puts the stick back where it came from, and after pressing several keys on the touchscreen, a small Japanese passport comes out from the bottom tray a few minutes later. He passes it to Inori, and when the girl opens it to look at her photograph and its contents, she, Shu, Haruka and Darren are impressed by its authenticity.
Ricky now tells Shu, Haruka and Darren to place their own passports on top of the machine. One by one, they scan their photos and personal details inside their passports before Ricky presses several keys on the touchscreen again to send them to the authorities. When they are done, Darren tells everyone the name of the marina they need to disembark from. After sitting down on the driver's seat and entering the name of the location on the navigation monitor, Ricky lifts the anchor, starts the engine and sails towards their next destination.
Along the way, they were spotted by a patrol craft and ordered to stop. Ricky brought the yacht to a halt and allowed the coast guard officers to board and conduct an inspection. The four officers looked around the top of the yacht for the next three minutes. After that, the highest-ranking officer of the group orders two of his men to go down and inspect the bottom of the yacht.
The remaining two officers at the top asked Inori, Shu, Haruka, Ricky and Darren to show them their passports. Realizing that he is a local, the highest-ranking officer questioned Darren about his intention in bringing four foreigners into their country, to which the bespectacled man calmly answered by explaining they are his friends and wants to show them the sights. As Darren wraps an arm around Shu's shoulders, the boy, Inori, Haruka and Ricky did the same to one another, and they all stood and held close to each other in a daisy chain while flashing their smiles at the officer.
After confirming their entries have been approved by the government on her tablet, the other officer shows the screen of her device to her superior. The other two officers arrive back at the top of the yacht shortly after to report to their superior that the yacht is clear of any illegal possessions. Inori, Shu, Haruka and Darren sigh inwardly in relief that they fail to find the weapons hidden behind the drink cabinet. The highest-ranking officer tells the yacht's occupants that they are free to go. Inori, Shu, Haruka, Ricky and Darren thank the officers and wait for them to go back to their own boat and sail away before the dark blonde-haired man returns to the cockpit and continue their journey.
Fifteen minutes later, they arrived at the marina and Ricky docks the yacht at a berth. After stepping out of the boat, Inori, Shu, Haruka, Ricky and Darren walk through the pier until they arrive at the back of a country club. While making their way inside the facility, they walk past a swimming pool where several adults and their children are swimming leisurely, as well as an outdoor restaurant where its members and guests are dining casually.
They eventually arrive at the club's main lobby where they see two large, curved staircases on both sides that lead to the mezzanines built above and around the huge room. Below each staircase is a large garden and a fishpond, and at the back of the foyer is a giant curved glass window that shows a nice view of the pier, sea and even parts of Malaysia at the other side.
As they walk over to the center of the lobby floor, Ricky sees the receptionist attending a member while sitting behind her work desk near the entrance. He stops and turns to the others.
"Listen, since we are travelling the rest of the journey by road, how about you guys wait while I talk to the receptionist there to help us get a cab?" Ricky asked everyone.
"Sure thing." Shu said as he, Inori and Haruka nodded to him.
"I'll come with you to help you out." Darren said as he stood beside him. Ricky nodded to him before the two adult men walk over to the reception.
"I guess all we can do for the moment is wait." Haruka said to the teenagers.
The three go over to some armchairs placed at the lower left corner of the foyer and take their seats. As Inori and Haruka watch Darren and Ricky conversing with the receptionist, Shu on the other hand briefly stared at his friend beside him before looking down at his lap to morosely contemplate the question she had asked him the night before.
"Shu…When we arrived at the place where Darren promised I'll be safe, will we still get to be friends?"
Shu frowns and grits his teeth in sorrow as he thought of the possibility of never seeing Inori again once more. As they are nearly reaching their destination, the boy wished they could have more time, especially after they had confessed their love for one another.
However, after reminding himself of the incredible power she had displayed to them, Shu closes his eyes and elicits a heavy sigh to soothe his aching heart. There is no question that he must keep Inori safe from the wrong hands at all costs. And if he truly loves and cares for her, he will do just that, no matter how much it hurts for them both.
When the boy opens his eyes and lifts his head back up, he turns to Inori and realizes that she has been staring at him in curiosity.
"Shu? What's wrong?" Inori asked. Hiding the pain inside him, Shu manages to crack a weak smile and shakes his head.
"Nothing." He replied softly.
After the receptionist places the phone down, she looks back at Darren and Ricky and said to them with a wide smile, "Alright. Your taxi will arrive here in fifteen minutes."
"Thank you." Darren said as he and Ricky bow their heads to her. As the woman bows back to them, Darren walks off to tell Shu, Inori and Haruka the good news. Ricky on the other hand stands where he is and briefly watches his bespectacled friend leave before looking back at the receptionist.
"Excuse me, ma'am." Ricky asked the woman and gestures to her phone beside her. "Would it be alright if I can make a call of my own?"
When their taxi arrived and stopped outside the porch, Shu, Inori, Haruka, Ricky and Darren hurriedly make their way over to the vehicle. The taxi is about the same size as Ricky's SUV and can hold up to six passengers. After Inori slides the door open, Shu, Haruka and Ricky get inside to take their seats while she and Darren look around for a moment to make sure they were not followed. The girl gets inside the taxi soon after and joins Shu and Haruka at the backseats. Darren closes the door behind her and goes over to the front passenger seat. After closing the door beside him, he tells the driver to take them to their next destination.
Unbeknownst to everyone inside the taxi however, a man dressed in casual clothes has been watching them from the mezzanine above the club's main lobby. He holds up his watch and said to it, "Fire a tracker at the back of the cab now."
As the taxi driver starts the engine of his vehicle, another man who is dressed as a janitor and hiding behind the bushes at the far-left side of the country club quickly inserts his rifle through the round-shaped plant. As the barrel of his rifle slightly sticks out from the bush, the disguised janitor pulls the trigger and fires a small tracking device onto the license plate at the back of the taxi just before it drives off and makes its way out of the premises of the country club. The man removes his rifle from the bush and puts it aside before turning to his laptop on the grass and see six round signals inside a larger round blinking signal slowly making their way to their next destination on an aerial map of the west side of Singapore.
The fake janitor holds up his watch to inform his ally, "We got their location. Sending it to Keido and the others now."
Inside the restaurant of a hotel located somewhere in the west region of Singapore, Keido sat alone at a wide rectangular-shaped table beside the large glass windows. To spend the time away as he waits idly, the man casually picks up his cup of coffee and takes a sip.
As soon as Keido puts the cup back down on the saucer, the screen of a tablet placed at the side of his table suddenly lights up. The man picks up the device and looks down to see the aerial map of the west side of Singapore, as well as six round signals apparently heading towards the northwest part of the main island.
"Finally." Keido uttered.
This is it. This is their final opportunity in capturing Inori Yuzuriha and bringing Matou Industries back to its former glory once and for all. Still bemoaning the failures of their previous attempts in Bali and Batam, the former Matou Industries employee had every available unit he had left at his disposal stationed throughout Singapore to prepare for this very moment. And this time, he will make sure they succeed in getting the job done, no matter what the cost.
While still holding and staring at his tablet, Keido takes out his phone with his other hand and calls every mercenary he placed in every known harbor and some of its nearby locations in Singapore.
"Everyone. Take a good look at the map on your screen and make your way to their current location now." Keido instructed. "Remember, our mission ends today. By any means necessary, find and capture Inori Yuzuriha."
Inside the basement car park of a shopping mall that is also located on the west side of the nation, Yuu turns off his watch after listening to Keido's orders and securely places his tablet on the mount at the front of the motorcycle he is sitting on.
Unable to contain his excitement at the thought of his rematch with Inori, the human weapon looks to the front, wraps his hands around the handles of his motorcycle and says aloud with a wide grin,
"Gladly."
Sovereign: I would like to thank Darth Necron and LayLay lives for reviewing this story.
I apologize that this is a shorter chapter this time round. But get ready for the climax in the next one. Until next time!