Chapter 6: Trust
Kazumi found herself lying in a hospital bed when she regained consciousness. She felt a pulsing ache in her head, and she found it difficult to form any coherent thoughts. The first thing she managed to do was take water that was offered to her by a nurse. The nurse said things but she couldn't quite understand them; couldn't quite hear the words properly. However the nurse repeated herself a few times, allowing Kazumi to understand that she had a concussion and that it would be a while before the aching in her head would stop. However, as it was so difficult to focus on anything, she gave up. It made more sense to wait until it was easier.
She didn't know how much time passed, but when her awareness returned again, this time allowing her to feel much more lucid, she heard a man's voice asking a question.
"Kazumi, you've been through a lot. Do you remember anything about what happened to you?" It was a question she didn't quite know the answer too yet. She felt that her mind didn't want to reach back to those memories, so she mumbled a negative response.
"You need a little more time, I understand."
What was the last thing she remembered? She was in her room, and something, outside? Out the window maybe? She walked to the window tentatively, but only saw blackness through it. Something crawled at her feet, a beastly thing, she recoiled in disgust. But nothing was definite here, it was obscured. Then she was in the living room, and a face flashed before her eyes, it took a few minutes to recognise who it was. she tried to get up, but her body felt weighted down, and wouldn't respond to her will. Blackness. When she opened her eyes, the bloody remnants of her mother's face filled her vision. She screamed.
Kazumi woke up, and sat up. Her head still hurt. In fact it pounded like a snare drum, but she finally felt somewhat like she could grasp her situation. And that also meant that she could remember some facts about her situation as well. She was still too numb to feel anything however. She saw a nurse at the base of her bed, who said she would go and get the doctor right away. He was an older, bearded man who was balding. He looked very officious.
"Kazumi, I'm glad to see that you seem to have finally recovered. I'm Dr Asakura. Try not to think too much, a lot has happened to you. The main thing I want you to understand, is you will be all right," he explained delicately. "You have a concussion; thankfully not a serious one. The worst of it will be passed you now. You were brought here last night after the accident. Things going well, we should be able to discharge you within the next two days at the latest." The Doctor stopped meeting her eyes and instead look towards the window. "However, that is the recovery of your body. You lost a great deal else in the explosion. I'm not equipped to help you deal with that, but rest assured you'll receive support. For now, I ask you to continue to rest. That might be hard, but it's very necessary. You will not be left alone, there will always be someone tending to you should you need anything."
"My parents... really gone?" She asked with a great deal of difficulty. The doctor nodded sadly. She didn't have the energy to react with intensity, but this perhaps was even worse, not being able to vent her feelings; being simply too tired to do so.
"You have a visitor; I will come see you again soon. You won't be discharged until I'm fully satisfied you're healthy enough." Under other circumstances she would be grateful for his concern, but it was difficult to feel anything else other than a deep emptiness. And she had no idea he would visit her; only her parents cared much about her, she had no other family that she was close to. Until today that didn't seem like it mattered.
"Kazumi," a familiar voice said softly. Kazumi tilted her head in surprise.
"I'll leave you two then," Dr. Asakura said, nodding to the room's other occupant, who had stood just outside of Kazumi's attention. He walked out of the door.
"Jun?" Jun walked forward, holding a wreath of flowers, and sat in a chair by her bed.
"It's me, Kazumi. I'm glad you're awake, I was so worried when I heard the news this morning. I came straight here."
"I see," Kazumi replied, "Thanks. I feel a bit better knowing that you cared that much."
"Some officials will probably come by and ask you about what happened. We don't need to talk about that. The main thing I wanted you to know is you're not alone, and if you have nowhere else to go, you're welcome to come stay with me. I want you to; in fact. But it's your decision. I'm sorry for the things I said." Jun sat back morosely, "I know I hurt you. I did it for myself. And I hate myself for it. I want to try and make it up to you; there's no replacing what you lost, but I'm here for you. Despite what I said, I never stopped caring." Jun then placed the wreath of flowers on Kazumi's bedside cabinet. Kazumi felt tears threaten, but she did her best to hold them back. "Thanks, thank you Jun," she sniffed; "I don't know what I'm doing yet. My head is a mess. I still don't know if I believe any of this is even real." she finished with great difficulty. Jun sighed softly.
"I understand, I can't even begin to guess at what you're going through right now. I just ask that you try to take each day as it comes and listen to the professionals here. They know what they're talking about. Also, when anyone asks you about what happened, don't push yourself to remember."
"What did happen, Jun?" Kazumi asked abruptly. Jun paused for a second.
"There was a gas line explosion in the vicinity of where your house was. Most of the actual damage was caused by a powerline that fell down onto the building." Jun gave the answer rather robotically, Kazumi found herself struggling to believe those words because Jun really didn't seem to believe them herself.
"Somehow, I thought you were there Jun," Kazumi said, "I don't know why, but I remember thinking I saw you last night." Jun nodded.
"The mind does strange things sometimes. This is just an assumption; but maybe I was in your thoughts a lot the last few weeks?" Kazumi nodded. "That probably explains it then."
"I guess so." On face value, it did seem like there would be no reason for Jun to have possibly been there. Despite what common sense would tell her otherwise, though she couldn't really shake the feeling that she wasn't remembering completely wrong.
"I can sit with you for a while, but I'll have to go at some point. Of course I'll come back if they keep you in longer but the Doctor is optimistic you might be out as soon as tomorrow. I've paid upfront for a room in a hotel nearby for the next week, I'll leave you the details. I wanted to make sure you have a roof over your head if you need some time to yourself. Also..." Jun took out a phone from her bag and passed it to Kazumi. "It's got my contact number, you can get in touch with me if you need to. Don't feel like you have to pay me back; you really don't. It's the least I could do." Kazumi looked down at the flower wreath, and felt tears finally flow from her eyes. Jun reached over and hugged her tight.
As Jun left the hospital, she paused when she recognised a nearby parked car, a red ferrari she hadn't seen since the first night she met the woman leaning on the car's hood. Lan Asuka gestured her to get into the passenger seat.
"Come on, I don't have all day," Asuka chided. Jun sighed in resignation and did as she was told.
"Where's Kogare, I'd have thought driving me around any more would have been beneath you," Jun remarked, to which Asuka merely gave a shrug.
"We need to talk, and you need a lift to Akiba for your next job, I believe. It seemed convenient I give you it." Jun didn't hide her discomfort that Asuka basically knew her every move, knew where she was planning to go.
"This is about Kazumi," Jun stated rhetorically. The car reached a traffic crossing, allowing Asuka a break from the road to address the statement.
"That's correct. You're getting better at keeping up with things, but you're also making decisions which cause us greater liabilities. I think you're taking an unnecessary risk."
"I find it interesting that you're giving me advice, but you're not giving me a command. How is your throat by the way? You sound a little hoarse this morning." Jun replied seditiously. Asuka glared at her. Jun glared right back. Before she could say anything else, Asuka realised the traffic lights had turned green, she resumed driving.
"Don't test me, Jun. You won't win that battle. If you're that worried about the girl's safety, we can take her into protective custody."
"No, don't do that," Jun snapped, "I don't want her..." She failed to finish the sentence so Asuka finished for her.
"You don't want her to know what you are. You don't want her to know the truth about what happened last night. You don't want her to know that you are to blame for her parents deaths." Jun's throat dried. Essentially, Asuka was right.
"I need her, Asuka. I need her to think that I'm still a normal person." Jun expected Asuka to admonish her for such a selfish motivation.
"I do imagine if we strip everything out of your life you'll have little reason to not giving entirely to the beast inside you. One day though, you realise, she will probably find out everything." Jun fought back tears as she replied
"I realise that. But I do believe she'd be safer staying with me. They know about her, and know she's a weakness of mine. If they became determined to use her against me again, I doubt any protective custody you could provide would be enough. If she stays with me, I can keep an eye on her, and the people you have watching my apartment twenty four-seven can also aid with that." Jun knew she was using logic to try and justify her position, and maybe she was even right, but she knew also deep inside of her that she simply wanted Kazumi close by, needed her to be close by. Those monsters had tried to take what was hers away from her. She wouldn't let them get another chance.
"Feeling rather possessive are we?" Asuka observed, not doing anything for Jun's shame, "Fine, although we will be forced to take her if there is any likelihood that she will expose you or us." She looked at Jun for her agreement, which Jun gave.
"It won't come to that," Jun said.
"I think you're playing against inevitability, but that's your choice." Jun knew that Asuka was right ultimately, but to her there was no other choice.
The officials that Jun had talked about didn't actually come until the following day. It was a woman and a man, neither in uniform. However the woman stepped forward and produced her credentials. Kazumi saw that her name was Ai Kikumura. The man that accompanied her sank into the background.
"Kazumi Takiura," Kikumura began, "I understand you been through a lot. This is just routine. I apologise for any distress we may cause you, it's not our intent. Do you feel able to speak with us now, because if not, we can come back?" Kazumi decided she was just as well getting it over with. She nodded.
"Okay," Kikumura responded as her partner took out a notepad. "There was a gas explosion in the direct proximity of your household at 10:55pm. Immediately thereafter, a powerline collapsed and fell on top of the structure. What were you doing at the time, if you can recall?" Though this woman was able to say those words with the certainty that they had actually happened, Kazumi found herself still struggling to believe them.
"The last thing I remember, is I had just had a bath, and I walked up to my room." Didn't I see something else?
"I see," the officer replied as her partner jotted down the notes. "Unfortunately the other occupants of the house did not survive the impact. I would imagine your survival was by chance, practically a miracle."
"I don't know if I would call it a miracle," Kazumi replied morosely.
"I understand," Kikumura replied, trying to sound sincere but not completely succeeding.
"Since the gas explosion appears to be the source of everything that transpired, we do have technicians looking into the exact cause, in cases like these it is usually a technical malfunction, but were not ruling anything out until a full check has been carried out."
"So my life's been destroyed by a technical malfunction? That's one way to put it I guess," Kazumi answered bitterly.
"I'm sorry, really. In my experience though these things happen, all people can do is pick up the pieces and carry on." Kazumi wanted to continue to argue, but didn't see the point any more.
"I don't think there's anything else I can tell you, it's really a blank between then and when I first woke up here."
"All right,"Kikumura nodded to her partner who put away his notepad, "I think you have some visitors coming, friends from your school. I hope they can make you feel a bit better," the officer spoke with a bit more conviction.
"Thank you," Kazumi replied weakly.
"We'll leave you to your rest now," Kikumura turned and walked out the room followed by her nameless counterpart. Kazumi felt that she still had many doubts about what the officer has said, and it had even felt as if Kikumura had really tried to push their version of events onto her. If they really wanted information about what really happened, surely they would have pressed her more than that to remember something? They seemed more relieved than anything else when she told them she couldn't. Maybe that was just her imagination running amok. Anything to take her mind off the fact that she had nobody to go home to any more. She laid back and curled underneath the bedding; hoping sleep might dull the pain.
When she woke up, Kazumi saw that a nurse had been waiting for her to stir.
"Oh good, you're awake. You have a pair of friends waiting to see you," the gentle eyed woman explained, "They've been waiting a while. I'll let them know you can see them now." Kazumi thanked the nurse as she left the room. When both Chika and Takae walked in, still wearing their school uniforms, she did feel her spirits lift a little.
"Kazumi, thank God. You look, well, not that great." Takae was always a bit blunt. Chika gave her a disapproving look and then said,
"They told us what happened in class today. I can't even begin to imagine what you've been through," Chika consoled, "it has to be devastating." Kazumi nodded solemnly.
"And it was just after, just after dad and I made up," Kazumi said as she began to remember some of the things that happened before she had went into the bathroom.
"What do you plan to do now?" Takae asked sadly.
"Jun came to see me this morning I think. Having a slightly hard time remembering it but I think she asked me to move in with her." Chika looked over at Takae, unsure of what to make of that.
"Well, it would give you a roof over your head if nothing else," Chika observed.
"I don't know, she abandoned you once didn't she? I mean, she probably does feel guilty about it and she probably does want to help you, but can you really expect her to support you like that?" Takae pointed out. Kazumi paused for a moment to think.
"I wouldn't have asked her. Even if I wanted to, I wouldn't ask. But she offered. I don't think I have a lot of other options. Not if I want to stay here in Tokyo."
"You know," Takae began, "They don't do visiting hours in this hospital in the morning. Makes me wonder why they let Jun Fudo in like that."
"Really, I didn't notice. A couple of cops came in and asked me if I could remember anything, that's been it pretty much."
"After Jun Fudo saw you? That's really strange." Chika added, "You'd think they would want to speak to you before anybody else." Takae waved her arms,
"Does it matter? Sorry Kazumi, I kind of think your situation is a little bit more important than who got to see you first." Kazumi hadn't been offended by the change of subject, if anything she found herself intrigued.
"You know, I might not be sure about what did happened that night, exactly. But I saw something. Something was there, it wasn't just some kind of accident." Chika and Takae leaned in conspiratorially.
"Yeah?" They both offered their ears to hear more. Kazumi pushed herself, pushed her memory to try and and unjumble some of the flashes she kept seeing in her mind.
"Dad was, he was on the tree... I ran downstairs, then I saw something, then I think, I don't remember actually seeing her, but I remember thinking, believing that Jun was there."
"That's nothing like what they said happened in the news.", Takae informed her. Kazumi winced.
"Yeah, it's probably the trauma. I doubt there's anything to it."
"But say those feelings are right; moving in with Fudo might give you the opportunity to find out," Takae suggested, "for all we know, she does know more about this than she's letting on. It might explain some of the rumours around her." Kazumi thought about Takae's words.
"You might be right. For some reason I just don't feel what I've been told and what I experienced match up. I don't see how Jun could be involved though?"
"Me neither, but you have to start somewhere. Right?" Kazumi nodded in response to Takae's question.
"If you really want to delve more into this, we'll have your back. You can count on us," Chika said brightly.
"Thanks, thanks for not telling me I'm crazy or I'm just hallucinating. I get the feeling if I told anybody here these things they were just tell me I'm in shock. This really doesn't feel like that. I can't quite place why I feel this way, but I don't think my parents deaths were accidental." Kazumi felt a darkening inside herself. Perhaps it was something her friends could see, as they gazed at her intently.
"If you keep your eyes and ears open, pay attention these days, it feels like a lot of weird stuff is happening. I tend to overhear my parents talk about it sometimes, my dad's a night watchman, says he sees a lot of police out blockading places without an obvious reason. That's why I don't think you should be quick to discount your feelings," Chika said, "When they let you out, we can ask around your neighbourhood, see if we can find anybody who saw anything."
"If their covering this up, I doubt anybody will talk to us," Takae cynically mused, "but I guess we can get an idea from how they respond to being asked about it. See how shifty everybody acts."
"Their? As in the men in dark suits? I guess were already at that stage then huh?" Chika replied, taking Takae rather more seriously than she wanted to.
"Well, either it happened like it was reported, and it was just a gas explosion, or, something really messed up happened. Something they don't want us to know." Kazumi found herself agreeing with Takae. Was that some kind of sick desire that she wanted there to be a reason for her parents deaths beyond simply an accident, or was she right to trust her instincts?
"And somehow a fashion model is in on it. Yeah I think this is starting to sound ridiculous," Chika stated, shelving her paranoia, "but whatever. There probably isn't any harm in just asking around a little."
"Thanks guys, I appreciate it," Kazumi said gratefully.
Kazumi only had to wait another day before she was released from the hospital. As she left the reception, mulling over thoughts of what to do next, where to go, she almost bumped into a man wearing a dishevelled long coat. His face was haggard, and his beard hadn't seen a razor in some time.
"Hello, Miss Takiura," he introduced himself, "My name is Sakazawa. I was a worker at your dad's company, and I wanted to extend my condolences." His tone was shaky and Kazumi didn't think that her father ever mentioned a Sakazawa at his office, but it was plausible he was telling the truth.
"Hi, Mr Sakazawa. Thank you." The man nodded, and then looked around suspiciously.
"I'm not entirely satisfied with the explanation for what happened at your home. Would you care to join me at a nearby café to discuss this?"
Kazumi's trepidation must have shown on her face, as Sakazawa picked up on it instantly.
"I know you don't know me from Adam, but that's why we should talk in a public place. Here, my card ." Kazumi took the card from him and did recognise the logo on the card as belonging to her father's business. "I always had a great deal of loyalty to your father, I would like to hear everything you could tell me about what happened."
"All right," Kazumi agreed. She wasn't quite sure what she was getting herself into, but she was curious. She would have refused if he tried to lure her to any enclosed space, but there was a diner within sight along the street with several people inside. When they entered and sat at the table next to the windows, a waitress took their order almost immediately. Kazumi declined Sakazawa's offer to order for her. Once he had made his own order for coffee, and the waitress walked away they resumed their discussion.
"I realise what you're going through must be hard. I lost my own wife and daughter in an accident suddenly a few months back."
"I'm sorry to hear that. How did you feel right after it happened?" Kazumi asked hesitantly.
"Lost. You father was understanding, he gave me a leave of absence. I haven't been around for a while, but when I heard about he and his wife's passing, I felt I should talk to you." Whatever else the man said, it was clear to Kazumi that the man was sincerely troubled.
"Thanks, I guess. I wish I could say I remembered anything. I don't really have a reason to feel what happened was anything other than what everybody's been telling me. Why do you think there might be more to it?" The waitress brought Sakazawa's coffee, which he took a swig from before answering.
"A lot of little things. They've completely demolished the area of the house now, and that includes your next-door neighbour. All done within an almost 24-hour period. That doesn't really leave any time for any kind of investigation whether it was an accident or not. If you're planning to go asking around your neighbourhood, don't bother, nobody will say anything."
"All right, that is a little strange. Maybe they thought there was a risk of more explosions?" Kazumi suggested.
"That might be the case, I just want to be sure. Although it does seem at least for the moment that you don't remember anything. If you do, I would appreciate if you got in touch with me, my number is on the card. I will probably see you again at the funeral, the company is covering it. If they haven't let you know that already, you don't have to worry about anything. " Sakazawa stood up and turned to leave, however he turned back and said,
"You're friends with the model, Jun Fudo, right?" Kazumi looked up at him suspiciously.
"I was, how did you know that?" Sakazawa replied calmly.
"You father mentioned her to me once."
"Why do you bring it up?" Sakazawa frowned mysteriously.
"I think you should stay away from her. It may just be gossip, but rumours stalk that woman's wake."
"What kind of rumours?" Kazumi asked quietly.
"Places she goes, people she sees. She's not just a fashion model, that's for sure. I did hear that she joined a leisure centre in Shibuya that was closed down just a few days later."
"When they discovered all those bodies? I read about that. I didn't know she joined that place around then, but why would that mean anything? It just sounds like a horrible coincidence." Sakazawa looked sternly at her.
"Maybe. You should think twice about having anything more to do with her. But it's your choice. Good Day." Only after Sakazawa had been gone for a minute or so did Kazumi begin to wonder if that man claiming to be her father's co-worker seemed to know more about her business than her father's. She then heard a ringing from her bag, which was probably one of her friends calling; she shared numbers with them on the phone Jun had given her before they left the previous day. It was Chika.
"Hey Kazumi, do you still want to go asking around your neighbourhood?" Kazumi thought about what Sakazawa said.
"I just ran into a man who claimed to be a co-worker at my father's office. He was a bit weird but seemed legit. He told me he already asked around, said the whole building was demolished and cleared. He said nobody would tell him anything."
"So it's true? Takae looked into it, told me there was nothing left there but I wasn't sure if that was really the case. That really doesn't sound normal to me, does it sound normal to you?"
"If it was just a gas explosion, I mean they would obviously cordone off the place, but to clear it so quickly? I don't know. It also wasn't the only thing he said."
Yeah?" Chika prompted.
"He knew about Jun. Said I should avoid her." Chika didn't say anything for a moment, then
"Maybe he's right? You could probably get support to get your own place from your father's business, it's not like moving in with her is your only option."
"I think I want to," Kazumi replied, "I don't know how on earth she could be involved, but if she is, I want to know."
"Do you trust her?" Chika asked the most pertinent question. Kazumi delved deep into her feelings for an answer. It wasn't an easy conclusion, as she considered Jun's behaviour long time going back to when they first met, and her recent more erratic behaviour.
"I don't believe she wants to hurt me."
"That's not quite saying you think she hasn't though, is it?" Chika asked another pertinant question.
"No, no it's not," Kazumi had to agree.
"Well, if you're going to move in with her, you might as well go there now. No point hanging around a hotel if your mind is made up, right?"
"Yeah," Kazumi replied.
"Call me later, let me know how it goes."
"I will, thanks Chika."
"Don't mention it." After hanging up, Kazumi made for the nearest subway entrance. Her gut felt compressed, and her skull like an iron ball. She just didn't know what to expect or how life would move forward from here, but despite her trepidations she had made her mind up to head for Jun's.
Jun arrived at the front door of her apartment block. After a short break in the afternoon she had time to do pick up groceries and carried a paper bag underneath her arm. After she headed inside and towards the front door of her apartment, a shadowy figure stepped forward. For a moment Jun readied herself, bracing for the unexpected was becoming a necessary skill in her life. She sighed in relief when she saw who it was.
"Kazumi, I thought you'd call ahead?" Jun asked. Kazumi shrugged.
"Sorry, I think my legs just took me here."
"Have you been waiting here long?" Jun asked Kazumi as she took out a key and unlocked the front door.
"Half an hour or so. I figured you'd be back by this time."
"Does this mean you want to move in right now?" Jun turned to her. Kazumi nodded awkwardly.
I didn't expect that but that's okay. I'll cancel the hotel reservations."
"Thanks Jun. Sorry to just appear at your doorstep like some stray." Kazumi followed Jun into the kitchen where she began putting away the food.
"It's fine. I guess I'm just glad that you didn't have any trouble coming to a decision. I'll be glad to have you. Lucky I just picked up some food, enough to feed us both. Its quite plain though, fish and rice, is that okay?"
"Yeah, that's fine," Kazumi replied. Jun continued talking as Kazumi followed her into the kitchen, and she began unpacking the groceries.
"I have a futon you can use until we get something properly arranged for you to sleep in. Will you be okay handling your financial affairs? I can help if you want? Also, don't forget to let your school and the doctor know this is where you're living now. " Kazumi leaned against the edge of the door without giving a reply. "Oh, I'm sorry, I'm already acting like I'm your mother," Jun mused. "Just let me know if it ever gets on your nerves, I'll do my best to avoid doing that."
"No, that's all right," Kazumi replied, still distracted by her inner thoughts. She wanted to ask certain things. She didn't think there would be any chance at all getting a straight answer out of Jun. Was there much point in asking then? She filed them away for now. "I'll be able to manage. I'll start back at school starting from next week, I told my dad I would take all that more seriously, I meant it." Jun walked up to her and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"That's a great thing, but don't push yourself too hard. You've got time, you don't have to rush back to school or your job if you don't want to. "Kazumi placed her own hand over Jun's.
"I appreciate the concern, but I don't think I want to sit around this house doing nothing for too long." Jun smiled.
"Everybody handles things differently. Anyway, the food won't be much longer, if you go sit down at the table, I'll join you in a couple of minutes." Kazumi sat down and she was asked and was shortly joined by Jun, who placed plates of fish and rice on the table.
"I know, it's very humble food. I was never much of a cook." Kazumi found that she felt hungry, but didn't really want to eat. She picked at her meal with little enthusiasm, and in the blankness of her mind flooded dark rivers of reality, that robbed her body of all warmth. She felt tears slide down her cheeks. Jun quickly noticed Kazumi's demeanour.
"Kazumi," Jun got up and put her arms around Kazumi in an attempt to console her.
"Jun, I need to tell you something, something I'm ashamed of."
"You can tell me anything, Kazumi. Anything at all." She released Kazumi in order to come face-to-face with her. Tears still stained Kazumi's face.
"I used to want them gone," Kazumi found the power to say, a great deal of shame in her voice. "I thought I was locked in a cage in that house. I wanted my mom and dad to disappear from my life, I thought I'd be happier that way. But I'm not, I'm not happier." It did feel like a release for Kazumi to admit; deep down inside she carried a lot of guilt over her conflicted feelings.
"It's all right Kazumi, there's no shame in that. When I left home to come to Tokyo, everybody I knew there thought I would be back within the year. I resented them for it, including my own mother and grandfather. Feelings like that are part of growing up."
"What am I supposed to do? I thought I'd have all the answers, I really did. But I have absolutely no idea, not really."
"You need space to figure that out; nobody else can really tell you. I just want you to feel secure here, that you have a safe place to be." Suddenly the phone that Kogare gave Jun began ringing, and the timing of it made Jun's stomach sink.
"I'm sorry Kazumi, give me a moment, I do need to answer this."
"...okay", Kazumi's sniffed.
"Fudo," Jun answered. She dreaded what she was going to hear, which was all too easy to predict; the commanding voice of Lan Asuka.
"Kogare will be out front within the next two minutes. We have another hunt."
"No, please, please not tonight." Even without her in sight, Jun could imagine Asuka's withering glare at her protestations.
"You don't get to decide. I expect to see you arrive with Kogare ASAP."
"Who is that, Jun?" Kazumi asked, "what's wrong?" Jun had no choice, she wanted there to be; but there simply wasn't. She wanted to be there for Kazumi; but her other life already had a lot to say about that. Turning to Kazumi, Jun said,
"Kazumi, I'm afraid I have to go out. I'll be late, don't wait for me." Jun abruptly walked to the door, took her coat from the wall mounted hangers and unlocked the front door.
"Wait, where are you going? What's so important that you just leave like this?"
Jun considered trying to give some kind of excuse; but realised that there wasn't any that would be better than nothing. Without another word she stepped through the door and closed it behind her. Kazumi sat back down, feeling a torrent of dejection. She had wanted to be a bare her soul to Jun in her moment of deepest anguish; to feel that she could trust her beyond reproach. But it wasn't the fact that Jun had left her in such state that caused her to feel slighted; she may very well have had a very good reason to go. It was the fact that Jun wasn't willing to show her the kind of trust that she wanted to show Jun. As she slowly ate, she tried to come to terms with everything that had happened that day. She couldn't confront what happened that fateful night, she didn't know when she'd be ready for that. But a man who claimed to know her father came to her in the belief that the explanation for what happened to her family was a cover-up; and he told her not to associate with Jun Fudo. Then there was what Takae pointed out; Jun was the first person to visit her, before even the police. Now Jun takes a strange call late in the evening and leaves without any explanation. Her body tingled all over as her mind put the question; what if there was a connection between all of these things?
She also knew, that if what had happened had not been an accident; that it was some kind of attack; that someone murdered her parents; if that were somehow true, she would never rest, never be content, until the guilty party paid for it. And all of a sudden, such a scenario didn't seem so far-fetched.