The Road to be Free

Two days passed... And when we headed back towards the police station to find out what had happened to our report.

Would we be able to do something about the situation that she was in? Would we need to provide more evidence for our claims or would we simply fail miserably?

The questions lingered in my mind and even though most of them were negative thoughts, I needed to be strong... Not for myself, but for her... The girl who was suffering through those tough moments.

I pulled out my phone and stared at the time. There were only a few more minutes left of my class for me to accompany her to the station. With each passing minute... My heart would beat faster and faster.

"I need to calm down..." I took in a deep breath and exhaled. I repeated this three more times and once I had found myself relaxed, I glanced at the time once more and sighed.

Out of nowhere, I felt someone poke at me with their pen, I glanced over and noticed Natsumi inching herself closer towards me "Are you all right? You seem to be anxious about something"

"You can tell?"

She gave me a silent nod at those words "What's it about?"

"It's nothing... Just some problems that I'm dealing with, that's all" I simply smiled at her to reassure her that everything was all right with myself.

I couldn't really tell her the real thing. Not the fact that Yukari was suffering and not the fact that we were going to find out if something was going to be done to bring her freedom.

Before I knew it, the bell started ringing signaling the end of class. I quickly put everything away and glanced over at Natsumi "You still have one more class, right?"

"Yeah, I do"

"I see..." "It's the perfect time for Yukari and myself to do everything..."

"Kiyota?"

"Yeah?"

"Take care of Yukari-chan, ok?"

Seeing her acting like the bigger sister of someone she only knew for a few days was something surprising, but at the same time, I was glad that she had gotten along with her as well.

"She can take care of herself"

"You really can't say that, Kiyota"

"I can. She can protect herself without me being near her"

"She's a girl. The man should be the one to take care of the girl and don't forget that"

"Yeah... I know"

With those words, the both of us parted ways and thus I started making my way towards the school's gates. I glanced around the area, but she was nowhere to be seen "I wonder if she's still stuck in classes or something?"

 I pulled out my phone and started dialing her number. Since the both of us were out of class, I knew for sure that I wouldn't bother her. After a few rings, she didn't answer.

"Did she head on over alone...?"

Just when I spoke those words, she finally picked up the phone "Did you miss me that much, Kiyota~?"

"I'm going to hang up on you now"

"I was just messing around!"

I let out a sigh and spoke up "Are you done with your classes, Yukari?"

"Yeah, I'm done. Right now I'm making my way over to the gates... You should be able to see me in a bit"

"I'll be on the lookout"

As I looked back over at where the students were, I noticed the subtle movement of a hand waving over at me "That must be her"

"Do you see me, Kiyota?"

"Yeah, I see you"

"Perfect~"

She hung up the phone and started running towards me with a smile on her face "Thank you for waiting~"

"Well... You're the one who needs to be present since this involves you more then me"

"I know that... But can't you make it seem the least bit romantic~?"

"Not now..."

She beamed me a smile and thus the both of us proceeded to make our way through the street and headed on over towards the police department.

After some time passed, the both of us arrived at the police station and simply waited for it to be our turn.

"Next person please"

The both of us stood up form our seat and headed on over towards the lady at the front desk "Good afternoon. We're here to check on a report that we put out and wanted to know if something was going to be done"

"Let me check... On what name is the report on"

"Takahara Yukari"

"Give me a moment"

The lady from the desk started typing some things in the computer and after a minute or so, she nodded "Somebody will go the place today. Supposedly, it's a report on abuse that you're receiving, correct?"

"Yes, it is"

"The authorities will take your parents in for questioning. With your reports and evidence, we'll probably be able to do something about the problem at hand"

"T-Thank you very much"

"Thank you"

The both of us bowed at her and for some reason, the lady let out a giggle "You have a nice boyfriend right there, someone who supports you is a keeper"

"Umm-"

"Yes, he's the perfect boyfriend~"

Before I could even say a word, she tightly wrapped her arm around mine and started smiling at the lady.

After that whole ordeal, we found out that the problem would be able to be solved, but even then, the fact that her parents could become aggressive was a big possibility.

Seeing that something could be done the both of us thanked the lady once more and thus the both of us started making our way towards the apartments.

As we did so, out of nowhere she grabbed my hand and tightened her grip on it "Thank you for doing all of this for me, Kiyota"

"I told you that I would help you and I'll do that no matter what"

"I know that~"

She beamed me a smile and tightened her grip on my hand once more "I can't wait for when I'm living with you~"

"Isn't that thinking a bit too far ahead?!"

"Not really" "Not when I know that I have you there with me to protect me~"

"Yeah... Not happening"

"Aww~"

She started pouting at my words and all I could do was chuckle at her words "You really get bothered by every little thing that it makes it fun teasing you, you know that?"

"That's not nice~!"

She lightly hit my shoulder to which I simply let out a chuckle. As the both of us were nearing the apartments, I glanced over at her and I could tell that she was nervous about what was to come.

"Yukari?"

"Yes?"

"Everything is going to be all right, ok?"

"..." She stared into my eyes for a good ten seconds or so and smiled at me once more "I know that, but it's still a bit scary knowing that I'll be alone with them when they get the notification from the police"

"Yukari..." "I need to do something... But what can I do for her? I can't really say anything since I'm not a relative nor someone close with her... I'm only her friend... Right?"

As I stared at her side face, I let out a sigh and called out to her "Yukari?"

"Yes?"

"If you feel like your in danger..." "I can't believe I'm going to say this" "You can stay the night at my place..."

"..."

"Umm..." "I really did it! That's the worse thing I could have said!"

"Y-You don't mind...?"

"No... I don't mind it"

"T-That's good to know..."

I glanced over at her face once more and couldn't help but notice that she was blushing a bit "So even she can get embarrassed when someone says such a thing to her..."

The both of us made the rest of our way to the apartment complex in complete silence. Neither one of us could strike up a conversation with the other person for the reason that we were too awkward over what we had said to each other.

"I really did it..."

Once we arrived at the complex, I was about to start on heading over to my apartment alongside her when Yumiko called out to us "Welcome back"

"Good afternoon, Yumiko"

"G-Good afternoon..."

"Hmm?"

Before Yumiko could most likely ask Yukari something, she glanced back at me and smiled at me "I-I'll see you later"

"Huh?"

Before I could say anything, she headed on over to her apartment with a simple bow towards Yumiko and long after, the sound of her apartment door closed with a thud.

"..."

"What did you do to her, Kiyota?"

"W-Why are you assuming that I'm the one at fault?!"

"Who else could it have been? The only one with who she's been socializing with as of late has been you and every time she does so, she always looks happy"

"A-And?"

"I'm just saying that you should mind what you say to her from time to time, got it?"

"I know..."

I let out a sigh to which Yumiko simply chuckled and rustled my hair "That's my boy~!"

"H-Hey!"

She continued rustling my hair for a bit and once she had gotten her fill, she smiled at me and thus headed on back inside to her apartment. With that sign alone, I started making my way towards my apartment in wait for what was to be done.

Only then did I know that what I had said would become the biggest choice in my life.