Air Bubble

Izumi, subtly shifted closer, sensing the tension. With a quick, reassuring glance, she gave Ichiyo a silent signal: Stay calm.
But despite Izumi's support, Ichiyo couldn't stop her eyes from flickering toward the front door every few seconds. She was mentally mapping out the quickest way to escape if things took a turn for the worse.

"So..." Hideaki drawled, dragging out the silence, "what are you two really doing here?" His eyes were sharp looking at both girls. "You didn't just come to bring cake, right...? You're probably here to get me to the police... Am I right!?"

Ichiyo gulped, feeling her throat dry up. The last thing she wanted was to agitate him. Her mind raced as she tried to come up with something that would diffuse the tension.

Before she could speak, Izumi stepped in, her voice steady but calm, "We really did just want to bring the cake as a thank you for Sekiguchi-san."

Ichiyo nodded as an answer.

"Mhm..." Hideaki replied slowly. He squinted at her, as if trying to decipher any hidden meaning in her words.

Ichiyo reached for the plate in front of her.

Her hands trembled slightly as she picked up a slice of the chocolate cake and offered it toward Hideaki.

"W-would you like some?" she stammered, forcing herself to hold his gaze despite the unease creeping through her. "Me and Izumi made it ourselves... Um... I hope, you'll like it."

Hideaki stared at the piece of cake on the plate with suspicion "Huh... I hope you didn't poison it! Tch!" He hissed, and then added more calmly
"But... I... suppose I could try a bit..."
He reached for the slice.

"W-we didn't come to cause trouble, I swear." Ichiyo flinched as his hand brushed hers, quickly pulling back and retreating to her seat.

Izumi leaned in closer to Ichiyo, her voice barely a whisper. "You're doing great. Just breathe."

Ichiyo gave a quick nod, though her heart was still racing.

She discreetly glanced at the door again. If they needed to run, it would take just a few seconds to grab Izumi and make a break for it, but with Hideaki blocking the path, they'd have to be fast.

Very fast.

As Hideaki took a bite of the cake, his eyes fluttered shut momentarily, as if savoring the taste. When he opened them again, there was a noticeable shift. Some of the malice in his gaze had faded, replaced with something more childlike - almost playful.

"It's - it's so good!!!" He grinned, his teeth showing.

Quickly, he scooped voraciously one by one, as many pieces of cake into his mouth as he could. He wanted to eat them before Seiji gets back.

Crumbs and pieces of chocolate began to stain his face, but he didn't seem to notice. He gulped the cake slices one by one,

Ichiyo exhaled a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. That was the best reaction she could have hoped for from him.

'He’s really unpredictable… But he looks a bit like a child when he’s eating… a little scary, but also kind of cute,' Izumi analyzed as she watched him.

'We have to stay calm. We can’t provoke him. If he reacts badly, everything will go wrong,'  Ichiyo thought nervously. 'My heart is racing… He could do something terrible at any moment… But right now, watching him eat, he seems… strangely calm.'

Izumi quickly straightened up, trying to keep the conversation light. "See? Just cake. We just wanted to thank Sekiguchi-san properly, that's all."

Hideaki leaned back in his chair, mouth full of cake. He was eyeing the girls with a more relaxed expression now. "Fine, fine. Just don't get any weird ideas. I'm watching you."

Ichiyo glanced at Izumi, who gave her a reassuring smile, however, her mind still kept drifting back to the door.

'If he suddenly snaps... This door will be our only exit. I have to stay alert.'

No matter how much Hideaki's mood had softened, she knew they were still in the presence of a dangerous man.

She wouldn't relax until they were safely out of the apartment.

Just then, all of them heard Seiji's voice approaching.

The girls sighed with relief.

"-Yes.. Yes.. Thank you very much. Yes. Of course. Thank you, goodbye." Seiji was finishing his conversation.

After a while he hung up and joined the company at the table.

Just then, his eyes were drawn to the number of pieces of cake on the plate. "What happened to the cake?"

Ichiyo and Izumi were silent. They were afraid of snitching on Hideaki for his little theft. Not knowing if that would set the killer off.

Seiji immediately looked at Hideaki, who was slightly soiled with pieces of chocolate and had remnants of strawberry mousse on his lips.

"Hideaki......." his tone was cold, but clearly conveyed dissatisfaction.

"H-huh?"

"I was gone for five minutes.. AND YOU ATE ALMOST THE WHOLE CAKE!?"

"N-no!" then he quickly tried to lick away the leftovers of chocolate and moose from his face.

"Do not lie. I can see it with the bare eye."

"Not true!"

"It's easy for you to talk when evidence of a crime is visible on your mouth."

Hideaki swallowed "Tch! Shut up!"

"No, you this time shut up." Seiji snapped, his face darkened.

Hideaki flinched, and then pouted his face.

Seiji sighed irritated.

Ichiyo didn't take her eyes off them, but she was silent.

'I don't understand them... Why would someone as Sekiguchi-san... take in someone as dangerous as this serial killer...? It's weird...'  she thought.

"Actually," Seiji said, shifting his gaze to the girls, "if you don't mind, may I ask – where exactly did you get the information about Hideaki staying at my apartment?"

"Well, I..." Ichiyo began hesitantly, her voice trailing off as if she were struggling with whether to continue.

Her gaze drifted to Izumi — searching for a silent sign that she could truly open up.

Izumi nodded discreetly, giving her reassurance.

Ichiyo took a deep breath and began to explain: "I... I was secretly stalking him when I heard that he was in Tokyo... That's how I know that he's living here with you..."

Hideaki glared at her menacingly.
"If you'd hand me over to the police after this little meeting, I will dig your grave, tear you up alive to pieces and then dump you in there! Hehehe!" He finished laughing sadistically.

Seiji slapped Hideaki's head with his hand.
"Hideaki!"

Ichiyo's hands were now clasped tightly on her lap. 'Did I tell something I shouldn't mention?'  

She wondered,

'I... literally admitted to following someone across the city... told them how I reached them... did I appear to them as a typical stalker?'

Her knuckles turned slightly pale as she held her breath.

Seiji gently tapped his index finger against his arm as he thought.

'How Takahashi-san had been able to track Hideaki so effectively? If she had been secretly stalking him, she must have developed some skill in tracking people or had access to resources. Could it be that she had a network of connections? Or perhaps she was simply more resourceful than she appeared...'

His analytical mind went into overdrive, piecing together the implications of her words.

He sighed and stood up. Then he turned around to the coffee maker.

'How much did I truly know about her?'

After a short while, Seiji reached for his freshly made cup of black coffee, taking a quiet sip. His gaze never fully leaving the girl.

"You've made coffee?" Hideaki asked, turning to his direction.

"Yes. Something wrong with that?" Seiji asked him.

"Tch. It's just... It stinks all over the place. Smells like sweat..." Hideaki replied with grouched face.

Seiji took another sip and exhaled slowly through his nose.

"If it stinks that much, then maybe it’s your presence ruining the air, not the coffee."

"What??" Hideaki was taken aback.

Seiji set his cup down on the table and looked directly into Hideaki’s eyes, his tone icy and calm:

"If you have nothing intelligent to say, then keep your mouth shut. I’m not here to argue with a child."

Hideaki felt something inside him suddenly go out. The words hit harder than he had expected, and his mind immediately began analyzing everything: his own behavior, Seiji’s reactions, the possible consequences.

'Argue with... A child...? Who does he takes me for..? A stupid, uncontrollable, worthless… idiot?'

He didn’t speak, didn’t react – internally, he tormented himself for his previous actions.

'I'm an adult! And he's... He's just called me like that... But... then... Even if I try to prove something... it always ends the same. Humiliation. Maybe... I am... an idiot...'

Every thought seemed to drain him even more. Slowly, his body relaxed, his head tilted slightly to the side, and his eyelids grew heavy.

Ichiyo and Izumi sensed the sudden change in atmosphere. Ichiyo almost held her breath, watching Hideaki close himself off, lower his gaze, and press his lips tight.

‘He… he’s actually quiet now? I can’t believe it…’  Ichiyo thought, nervously scanning the table as if searching for the safest spot to avoid provoking him again.

Izumi bit her lip, trying to stay calm and conceal her tension. ‘Wow… Sekiguchi-san really can silence him with just one sentence. Scary… but… kind of impressive.’

Both girls felt a mix of relief and unease — Hideaki was quiet now, but every muscle in his body still radiated tension. They knew they couldn’t fully relax yet.

In the meantime, Seiji shifted his gaze between the two girls, his fingers lightly tapping the edge of the table now.

'Could she and her friend be trusted to keep our location a secret now that they knew more about our situation? Or was this just a prelude to something more calculated — something that could come back to haunt us? If so, I'd have to ensure she doesn't share this with anyone.'

He took another sip of his coffee.

'But even despite that, she seemed sincere and thankful. But the fact that she had been following Hideaki without our knowledge suggested she had her own motivations.'

Then he remembered what Ichiyo told about her mother...

'Of course. Her mother's death — the motive.'

Taking a measured breath to clear his thoughts, Seiji fixed his neutral gaze on Ichiyo. His tone was calm, carrying a hint of carefully placed empathy.

"Takahashi-san, if Hideaki really is the one who took your mother from you, then I'm truly sorry for your loss. I can't begin to imagine what it must have been like to grow up without her - a pain no one should endure, especially at such a young age."

He paused briefly, his voice steady but still carrying a sense of sincerity.

"That said, I hope that, despite everything, you've found some stability and happiness in life. From what I've observed, it seems like you have a loving father - and a stepmother, if I'm not mistaken."

"Y-yes..." Ichiyo nodded. She stared at her empty plate where the piece of cake was.

"I see..." Seiji leaned back slightly in his chair, folding his arms as he listened.

His mind immediately began to analyze the situation from multiple angles.

In the meantime, Hideaki stared blankly at a single point, his expression distant.

'Everyone hates me anyway...'

He seemed so subdued, so disconnected from the conversation, that it looked almost like he was about to fall asleep.

'I can’t even say anything… Better to say nothing… maybe then everyone will just leave me alone…'

Before anyone could react, Hideaki slumped in his chair, his breathing even and calm. Mental exhaustion finally overcame him – he fell asleep sitting up, completely revealing the absent, childlike side of himself that no one had ever been allowed to see before.

Seiji noticed that.

"Hey, Hideaki wake up."

Silence.

"I said, wake up." Seiji repeated. But then again it was nothing coming from his roommate's mouth.

"Did that comment of mine really left you that stoned?" He tried to get his attention with a light, sharp remark, but Hideaki looked increasingly absent, completely unresponsive.

'Just... Shut up...' Hideaki said in his mind still half-asleep hearing what Seiji said to him, but this time, didn't say it out loud. Even in his mind, the tone was... drained.

Seiji sighed quietly in his mind:

'Fine… screw it. If he doesn’t care about me, let him sit there.'

He tore his gaze away from Hideaki and looked at the girls,

"I know this might be a bit out of topic, but given the circumstances..."

Seiji cleared his throat once more, his tone shifting slightly as he prepared to ask something more delicate.

"I would really appreciate it if you could keep our living arrangement here discreet."

He paused for a moment, choosing his words carefully.

"I understand that this situation is... unusual, to say the least. And I trust that you came here with no ill intentions. But for everyone's safety, including your own, it's important that this stays between us."

He looked at both Ichiyo and Izumi seriously.

Ichiyo gulped.

She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, avoiding Seiji's gaze as her fingers nervously brushed the hem of her sleeve.

"I hope you understand. The fewer people know about where Hideaki is staying, the better - for all of us." Seiji added. "I don't want to put anyone in an uncomfortable position"

Ichiyo looked at Seiji, trying to keep her voice serious. "O-of course! I… I promise. I won't tell anyone about where you live… I mean… we'll keep it secret." Her hands clenched tighter in her lap.

"I-I just wanted to thank you… for saving me… and… um… for helping me survive that day…"

Her thoughts raced: 'I hope he believes me… I can't let him think I'm a threat… I don't want this killer to get angry again…'

Then her gaze involuntarily shifted to Izumi, seeking silent support. 'Is it okay to say all this? Can I really promise?'

Izumi nodded subtly, giving her courage.

Ichiyo took a deep breath and continued a little bolder: "I… I really mean it. I assure you once again, I d-didn't come here to cause any trouble." She paused, her voice softening, "I really am thankful for what you did for me. You have my word... I won't say a thing to anyone."

Izumi nodded in agreement, her expression more confident. "We won't breathe a word about this to anyone else."

Both girls looked at Seiji, hoping their sincerity would put him at ease.

Seiji calmly shifted his thoughts, analyzing not only the girls words but also their gestures, facial expressions, and intentions.

He closed his eyes. 'I've seen enough. Now let's hope, they're gona keep their promises.' Seiji thought, then nodded slowly. "Thank you so much." he breath a sigh of relief.

Suddenly, Hideaki stirred, his head lolling slightly as the faint sound of soft breathing filled the room. A comical bubble of air inflated and deflated from his nostril, a surreal detail that broke the tension in the room.

Seiji glanced at him, arching an eyebrow but keeping his composure as the bubble grew larger, stretching precariously.

Then, with a faint pop, the bubble burst, and Hideaki's eyes snapped open, blinking rapidly as he jolted upright.

"W-what?!" Hideaki sputtered, looking around in a daze, his disoriented expression oscillating between annoyance and confusion.

Seiji sighed deeply, pinching the bridge of his nose as he muttered under his breath, "Of course. He'd pick now to snap out of it."

Ichiyo and Izumi exchanged puzzled glances, trying to suppress giggles at the bizarre sight.

Hideaki, oblivious to the conversation that had just taken place, rubbed his face groggily. "W-why's everyone staring?? Did I miss something...?"

Seiji shot him a pointed look. "Oh, nothing. Just the usual - me cleaning up after your mess while you nap."

Hideaki's brows furrowed, but he didn't push further, still too groggy to fully process what was going on.

***

The time passed by.

Seiji picked up the plates and carried them to the sink.

He stood silently for a moment, as if calculating something. Then he glanced at Hideaki.

"Hideaki, can you wash the dishes for me? Carefully. And try not to break half of them in the process, okay?"

"Tch! Who the fuck do you take me for!?"

Seiji leaned back against the counter, his voice calm, almost indifferent, but with a deliberate edge:

"For clumsy little guy who sometimes has to do things around the house so he doesn't forget he lives in a normal world."

Hideaki narrowed his eyes, clearly torn between fury and embarrassment.

"ONE MORE TIME YOU'LL CALL ME LIKE THAT AND I WILL TEAR YOU UP!"

Seiji raised an eyebrow, his tone more assertive than questioning:"Plates first. Then you can flex."

Ichiyo and Izumi exchanged surprised glances. To them, the exchange was almost surreal — as if Seiji wasn't taking Hideaki's threats seriously, but as something to be dismissed as a joke and reduced to a simple domestic quarrel.

---

As the girls got up from the table and saw Hideaki being focused on doing dishes instead of threaten them, they couldn't help but feel a sense of relief wash over them.

"Thank you for your hospitality!" they both said gently, bowing.

Seiji smiled kindly at them "You're welcome."

As they was about to say their goodbyes, Ichiyo couldn't help but cautiously glance back at Hideaki.

Despite Seiji's pleasant demeanor, she couldn't shake off the uneasy feeling that lingered in the air after Hideaki's comments along their meeting.

Seiji noticed this and looked at him.

Seeing that Hideaki is obeying and doing his chores, even with having a grimace on his face, he smiled at this.

"He won't attack you. Don't worry." He reassured the girls and opened the door for them when he saw that they were ready to leave.

Ichiyo and Izumi nodded cautiously and thanked him once again before hitting the road.

As he saw them safely fading away in the distance, he closed the door to his apartment.

"Takahashi-san with her friend seems alright. I'm sure that with hard work and studying, they'll do great in their lives." Seiji said calmly. "But then..."

Seiji mulled over the risk of exposure. "Takahashi-san, by admitting she had been tracking you, might not be the only one aware of yours whereabouts. If she could track you, I'm sure that others could do the same. Were there more people watching us - either from law enforcement or from more dangerous parties seeking vengeance for yours past actions?"

"I... I don't know..." Hideaki admitted continuing cleaning dishes.

"We know that her friend for sure knows about you. But what about the others from her class, school?" Seiji needed to assess how much risk this posed to both him and Hideaki. He couldn't afford to draw any more attention to their already precarious situation.

"If her other friends know about me too much, I'm gonna kill them!" Hideaki said.

"But you don't know that." Seiji reminded him "And even if it turned out that way, they are just teens."

"Tch! So what if they are teens!?"

"Fuck... You really don't care who you murder, do you??"

"I care! But if they are annoying brats, then I'll murder them with double intensity!"

"I also hate when kids are annoying, but damn, have some boundaries!" Seiji said, irritation lingered on him.

"Anyways, that cake was delicious.." Hideaki suddenly said, remembering the sweet treat.

Seiji gave him a long look, unimpressed. "That's the smoothest subject change I've ever heard. From murder to mousse in under ten seconds."

Hideaki shrugged, grinning faintly. "It was good..."

"Yeah," Seiji admitted dryly, "the strawberry mousse with the chocolate worked well. But don’t think changing topics gets you off the hook."

Hideaki clicked his tongue, muttering under his breath while returning to the dishes.

Seiji leaned back slightly, watching him. 'He really got in better shape.'

He checked the time on his phone, exhaling quietly.

'I'm sure that a little bit more and he will finally be able to kill me properly... and for good...'