Card

Shibuya and Ikebukuro turned out to be duds also. They even tried asking in hotel lobbies, to no result. While they couldn’t be sure to not just have missed a vital clue, they were increasingly sure that Kana hadn’t stayed in Tokyo. That night, they went to bed with an uneasy feeling inside their stomachs.

The next day, Sakuya had to fulfill a contractual obligation, so Jun and Yuto decided to keep up the search together, walking the streets in hopes of encountering Kana on an errand or simply a walk to distract herself. That day they chose Akihabara. While Kana wasn’t a textbook otaku, idol culture was also famous there and maybe someone had recognised her. Many people cling to the favourites for years, after all.

After walking through shop after shop all morning, they decided to take a break in a small restaurant.

Yuto leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.

“You’re a good person, Yuto-san,” Jun said.

He filled their glasses with water and pushed one across the table.

“Am I? I was too late and now…”

“But you’re still here, aren’t you? Not giving up.”

Yuto opened his eyes again and took the glass, draining it. He sighed.

“I could say the same thing about you, Jun-san. You’re also still here, even though you have no stake in this.”

“Sakuya is my friend. We’ve only known each other for a few months, but I consider him a good friend. And also… I can’t let someone as handsome as you run yourself ragged. What a shame that would be.”

Yuto laughed softly. He reached across the table and took Jun’s hand, who laced his fingers with him.

“You’re not such bad company yourself. Even if you have to keep wearing those stupid sunglasses. Who even got them for you?”

“Hey, I got them myself!”

Just then their drinks and the otoshi arrived.

“After this is over, and we’re all back together and incredibly happy with each other, we could have a proper date,” Yuto said and picked up a piece of the marinated fish from the otoshi.

He held it out for Jun, who accepted the bite graciously.

“What? Do you want to get me better sunglasses?” Jun quipped. “Mhm, that’s tasty.”

“Is it?” Yuto asked and picked a piece up himself. “Oh, so it is.”

Jun smiled. He reached out and brushed a speck of sauce from Yuto’s lips, then licked his own finger.

“Yes, very tasty.”

Even though they didn’t make any progress, neither of them felt the day was wasted, yet in the end, it was another day without results.

——

“I got it!! I got her!!!”

Yuto’s voice rang out through the speaker. In their dorm, Sakuya and Jun were sitting at the kitchen table, the phone between them. They had just finished dinner after they squeezed in some more searching time between their filming obligations. Haruki had been friendly and bouncy like always on camera, but avoided them during off-time. Even now, he was nowhere to be seen, even though they had returned to the dorms together.

“Where? How?” Sakuya asked, jumping up.

“I went into the cafe today because the coast in front of it was clear for once. I thought if we can’t find anything in her room, maybe in there… A customer actually knocked on the door when I was there. Since she’s a regular I explained that Kana was sick, but she knew about the article and just wanted to ask if she’s okay,” Yuto rambled, clearly excited.

“Aw, that’s lovely,” Jun said.

“Anyway, I know her usual order so I made a coffee for her to say thanks and she insisted on paying. By card. And then it hit me. Kana usually uses the company card since she puts all money into the business and doesn’t pay herself a salary. And… I have access to the account.”

Sakuya sucked in a breath. “She used it?”

“Yeah. Has been using it. In one location.”

“Where?”

“Atami.”

“No. She… she…” Sakuya put a hand over his mouth as his emotions broke through.

“She went back to your short holiday location. Or close enough. There’s a charge for a room in a smaller hostel at the beach, near the ryokan you mentioned," Yuto said. “And several more over the last few days at a nearby konbini.”

“I’m going right now. Yuto, are you coming? Where should we meet?”

Yuto held a beat of silence.

“Yuto?”

“Considering where she is, it might be better for you to go alone first,” he said. “She’s clearly somewhere that is connected to you alone. Don’t worry, you go on ahead. I’ll be right behind you.”

Sakuya snatched his phone from the table. He looked at Jun, who nodded.

“I’ll meet up with Yuto-san,” he said. “You’ve got this.”

Sakuya sprinted out of the room and a moment later Jun could hear the front door open and close. He was about to call Yuto, when he heard another set of steps. The door opened and closed again. He wouldn’t. He… Jun shook his head. He would.

“Jun-san?” Yuto asked when he picked up the call.

“It’s Haruki. I think he heard us and he is running after Sakuya.”

“Fuck.”