“You’re still resisting? Interesting.”
“And you can still stand? I’ll give you props for trying, really it’s impressive.”
“Hey! Where are you taking her? It doesn’t make sense to me. Coming in here to kidnap a person?!”
“Listen to me, it doesn’t have to make sense for someone like you. This doesn’t involve you, just stay down and we will be on our way out.”
“AGH.”
Why am I even doing this?
I could barely stand up.
I feel a little light headed after that, was it even worth trying?
“Stay down, our problems are none of your concern. Stay out of it, little boy you don’t want more problems then you already have.”
“Let’s go, the two of you.”
Clack
Clack
Clack
Clack
“Yangidate?!”
“Ichibangase?”
“Are you alright? Did they seriously hurt you?”
“No, not too much.”
“Oh goodness, that is a relief.”
“Hotaru, honey… What is going on?”
“MOM! You woke up, I was so worried for you.”
“MASASHI!”
“Surabukādo!”
“Are you ok man?!”
“Yeah, ha they did a decent number of me…. They took Hyuganatsu Surabukādo.”
“I saw them walk out with her. So who was that exactly?”
“Apparently it was her brother. He and a couple of other men came and took her, he said it was an issue she had with her family. That’s what I got from it.”
“Damn… I have so many questions in my head right now, let me help you up first.”
“Thanks man.”
“So he’s really just gonna come in here. Abduct her and leave?”
“Seems so… To be honest, I have no idea what he even wants with her, even if they are family. I feel like there’s more to this, if he’s coming here with people like that.”
“Masashi what do you suppose we do?”
“I don’t know man, I thought I was going to die today. All of this along with yesterday is too much for me, I’m sorry I don’t know what to do.”
“All I hope is that nothing worse happens.”
“Masashi, I think we should call the police. They would know how to help, right?”
“Yeah, alright. Let’s just stay here for now until they come, I’m pretty sure a few other people saw what happened.”
WHOOSH!
“Uh huh, yes. And what did you know about the suspect?”
“Apparently, he was some type of boss, CEO? I’m not sure, I just know he came in here with his men and took his sister.”
‘Hmm, thank you for your input, good day to you.”
Are they really not going want to know more?
Even with their help it’s sorta useless.
“Masashi!”
“Surabukādo?”
“So how did it go?”
“Well I just finished talking to the officer, he and the other officers went around asking. Even collecting evidence.”
“Damn, I guess that is a good start. But what are we really going to do with Hyuganatsu? Her brother came in and abducted her.”
“That is definitely a criminal act, no matter if they are family or not.”
“I’m not sure man, I just felt powerless in that moment.”
“To be honest, this might be way out of our league.”
“Masashi, I think we should just rest from this, hell, her brother showing up didn’t make sense?”
“Like think about it, after what she said about him being in Saitama. Well actually, his last known location.”
“It’s weird how he knew where she was. He must have tracked her phone, I guess something like that isn’t so far into the future.”
“Yeah Surabukādo. He abducted her for ‘family’ business, what the hell does that even mean?”
“What the fuck does that even mean? What family business is that important for something like that?!”
“Surabukādo. I’m going home, I think I’ll just wait it out until the authorities find something out, that’s really what we all can do right now.”
“You’re right man.. Well I’ll be going down to my mom’s restaurant.”
“Oh! Ichibangase and her mom are safe too, her mom just got minor injuries.”
“Besides that, be safe.”
“You too, later.”
“Later man.”
“That didn’t even feel good to say.”
Click
Click
Click
Click
Click
BRASK!
Why am I getting so worked up over that situation… it’s not really like we’re close friends like I am with Surabukādo.
But just seeing her get taken away, tch.
If that ever was someone I knew I’d be pissed the hell off, that look on her.
If an ordinary person was in my situation, they’d probably give up.
But I am an ordinary person, what am I supposed to do about a situation I don’t know anything about?
Compared to what I’ve witnessed so far, I think I don’t have enough.
Even with the power I have right now.
It feels like anything related to ghosts, spirits or whatever mysterious things happen.
It just feels worlds apart.
Though he didn’t feel like those spirits.
It felt like it was someone who actively wanted to kill me.
All of this happening in one month, is too unreal.
It’s starting to get ridiculous.
GURGLE
“Damn and I am also hungry too.”
And I’ll guess I’ll pick that chair up.
TSszZzz
I burned myself.
How do I even burn myself when cooking scrambled eggs?
TSszZzz
“Masashi? What are you doing dear?”
“Oba! I’m just making something for me to eat, I’m not using too many eggs anyway.”
“Oh don’t lie Masashi, you wasted last week’s carton of eggs.”
“Well… You see, I need it for my active lifestyle.”
“Tsk tsk tsk, lifestyle this lifestyle that, come let me help you before you burn this place down.”
“Haha, ok Oba.”
“Oba? Can I ask you something?”
“Yes dear, go ahead.”
“If something feels impossible to do, and there isn’t any way to pursue progress on it. Can you still continue on with what matters?”
“Hmmmm, tricky question you’re asking there. I think it comes down to how you look at it.”
“Even if you get over one obstacle, that obstacle that you hurdle over can seem like you’re just where you started.”
“No progress or anything, but if you can learn even a bit from your situation even if it’s something small.”
TSszZzz
“Actually thinking about it, your mother probably represents most of what I am saying!”
“She would always go over hurdles pretty quickly. Thinking about it, she would always reflect off others and their feelings.”
“I remember her heckling our older brother once when we were around your age, I really do miss her sometimes.”
TSszZzz
“Oh my, I think I was getting a bit into it, well Masashi I don’t think you should give up on the obstacles that are seemingly tricky. But I guess you shouldn’t try the impossible as well, haha. Well don’t really mind what I said too much.”
“Okay.”
“Thank you Oba, I guess I could learn something from what you said.”
“Aw no problem, my dear Masashi”
“But Oba. You’re burning my eggs.”
“OH! OH! Hehe, I g-guessed I got carried away.”
Phew egg and rice, my ‘struggle’ meal.
Here I go.
“Masashi!”
“Yes Oba?”
“Have you forgotten your cousin is landing at the airport later today?”
“No not at all, actually! Huh, wait, you mean Shimizu? Right? I forgot she was even coming at all.”
“Ok honey!”
Wait.
Thinking about it, why am I not so excited for my cousin to come?
I am actually really ecstatic about that.
Or am I?
Hmmm thinking about it, I like my space.
But just the two of us here kinda does get boring after a while, well I am just glad she’s coming her way over here.
“Wait Oba! Didn’t you say she’ll come home last month, over even last year!”
“She had complications! She said she couldn’t move from where she was and had to stay, so I could not fault her for that!”
“Okay! I’ll get ready soon!”
Why are we yelling from room to room?
Actually, I already have the clothes on.
SKREE!
“Woah these stair rails are slippery!”
SKREE
SKREE
“Oba, how long is this drive? I thought it was 40 minutes when we started to get ready.”
“Well Masashi, traffic can be a pain in the ass sometimes. To think people are also in a hurry going along with their days, well I can’t blame them.”
“Sigh. That’s just the nuances of life, to think it’s just sometimes flowing and just completely stopped. Like don’t they fix these systems from time to time?”
“Hey Oba, I’m going to sleep for a bit, wake me up when we reach.”
“Sure thing dear, this traffic always irritates me for some reason. It like everyone mov–”
Zzzzzzz
“Oh, he fell asleep fast?”
…
Woah I sometimes forget how huge and layered this place is.
“Oba, did she text you anything yet?”
“No, not yet, not even a phone call.”
“Has her plane even landed yet? Oba, I’ll go do a little sight seeing.”
“Sight seeing? Well okay, be safe dear!”
This place is so layered, it looks so different compared to when I was eight.
I think I saw the plane land about 15 minutes ago, but she hasn’t arrived in one of the main areas.
No way.
Have I been walking about for more time since then?
When did it even land?
VZZZZZT
MESSAGES:
March 22nd 18:27
Oba: Have you seen her yet?
Sash: No not yet, i’ll look around at the terminal, where the plane she landed on is at.
Oba: Ok dear, I’m having a good time just stuffing my face with all this food.
Sash: What?!
Save some for me.
Shimizu’s gotta be somewhere, even her phone isn’t picking up, if this is even her number anymore.
SWOOOSH
That same pressure?
No, it’s not malicious or even one of those things.
Actually thinking about it, it feels normal.
But not at the same time?
It’s in that direction!
Wait?!
Is it coming closer to me?
Tch, why does all of this have to happen in such a short amount of time.
I gotta get some ground.
Not again, not again.
Tip
Tap
It’s right in front of me, no way it’s behind this crowd of moving people?
I have to run, I have to run.
It’s getting closer?!
I can sense it from different places at once?!
Whoosh!
Shimizu?
Is that her, right?
That has to be here.
No else had that appearance, so she is the one that has been giving it off?
But why?
it’s coming off of her?
It kind of did feel familiar at first.
Well there she is, in all her, Pfft.
In all her ‘graceful’ glory.
I guess her sense of style never really changed.
“MASASHI~!, YOU CAME!”
“Don’t rush at me!”
Is she a bear or something when did she gives bear hugs?!
“Welcome back Mizu, but aren’t you squeezing the life outta me?”
Poof!
“Oh what’s wrong? You can’t take a returning hug? Have you gotten weaker~?”
“What are you even talking about? Well since that’s done we ought to go meet up with Oba.”
“Oba? Oh you mean aunt Kasumi, well where is she?”
“She’s stuffing her face with food, so this might take a while.”
“That makes sense, I could use something to eat right about now.”
“Well! Come on, let’s get going. You’re gonna carry my bags.”
“What?!”
….
“AUNT KASUMI!”
“MY DEAR NIECE SHIMZU!”
“Where have I been to miss out on all of this?”
“How was your flight dear?”
“Well… The first class was nice. But I think they should have more accommodations.”
“H-hey, come get your stuff, why did you pack so much?”
“Oh Masashi, it’s stuff I brought over from Europe and other countries I had visited. I think Spain was one of my favorites.”
“So you went around the world huh?”
“A little bit, yeah? But it was exhausting since I had to move from place to place, but luckily I had help with that process.”
“You definitely had fun there right?”
“Yes it was enjoyable, so many things on my mind about it. But I am really hungry, so I slept through most of my flight.”
“Well dears, let’s go eat out at one of the food places here.”
“Hmm, alright then let’s get going, come on Masashi, keep your pace up!”
“If you don’t come get your stuff Mizu! I don’t want to be here dragging it for the rest of the day.”
…
“So you’re not staying at our place for that long?”
“No, after a month I should be heading back living with my father.”
“So you really gonna be cooped up in that mansion again huh?”
“Not really, my room got renovated, and I heard dad had gotten a lot of funds from his job.”
“Besides, I kinda was starting to miss the old place.”
“Shimizu, Is your father coming to pick you up, after the month has ended?”
“Probably so, he said if anything comes up, he’ll send Mr Tanaka and Ms Kobayashi.”
“He has you covered on both fronts, that man sure knows how to get things done. But he can be a little hard headed sometimes.”
“Haha, yeah it does sound like a characteristic of dad.”
“Speaking of your dad I got something to ask of you?”
“What is it Masashi?”
“The pendant, necklaces, whatever it is he gave me and it started to make weird noises. Any idea why?”
Why is she winking at me?
“Mizu? You know why it’s like that?”
“I’ll tell you more about it, when I settle down.”
“Aunt Kasumi! I am ready to go now.”
“Alright, then off to the lot! Make pace children!”
“Hey, Shimizu! Don’t tell me I am going to drag all your stuff!”
SLAM!
Phew, Last bag in there.
Tch, couldn’t she help some more?
“Well is that all Masashi?”
“Yeah…”
“Whew, I got shotgun!”
She took my seat as well.
Damn this day.
VROOM!
CLACHINK!
That ride is finally over, though I wonder which room she is going to stay in?
“Aunt Kasumi, this place ain’t too bad, It’s a five bedroom right?”
“Mmm hmm, yes it definitely is a five bedroom. ”
“You better come unpack your own stuff.”
“Oh how mean Masashi~, just leave it in a vacant room.”
“Got it.”
Sheesh these things are heavy, and there are six of these bags, This is such bullshit.
I’m not doing this again.
“Well there you go Shimizu, this is all your luggage, right?”
“Uh huh, thank you so much Masashi!”
“No problem.”
“Well Masashi, you’ve done enough for today don’t you think. I’ll see you later, okay?”
“Yeah, see you in another year.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Watch more movies, then you’ll understand.”
“What? I’ve watched more movies than you ever had! I just don’t remember the irrelevant movies!”
“Yeah, yeah that’s why you don’t appreciate even the bad ones haha.”
SLAM
That was mean, well I guess I can start asking the questions I want to know.