Chapter 21

Misaki unpacked her things and thought about her keyboard. They had instruments in the studio, but it wouldn't quite be the same. I can still write. She pulled out fresh paper, and lyrics flowed out of her about being controlled by fear and needing friends to rely on.

Knock, knock.

"Misa, can I come in?" Shun asked. "I talked to the security guards about the man, and I wanted to go over the footage with you." He waited a moment and knocked again. "Misa?"

Her pencil flew across the paper as the world around her vanished.

"Misa?" Shun swallowed hard, worried something had already happened. He knocked again before peeking into her room. "Oh, thank goodness, you're still here." Shun sighed, his shoulders dropping.

"Hmm?" She finally turned to look at him. "Oh, I'm sorry. I get a bit absorbed in writing sometimes... all the time, and I don't always notice what's going on around me." Aki always warned me about my habit. I need to learn to—

"It's okay," Shun interrupted her thoughts. "Ren is like that too, and he hates when people bother him while he's in his groove."

"Oh, I don't mind, though. If anything, as long as the door is unlocked, you and Ren are free to pop in, just in case I didn't hear you."

Shun nodded. "Good to know. I was going to look over the footage and figured you'd want to be there to point him out."

"Okay." Misaki slid her papers into a fresh folder, left it on the desk, and followed Shun down the hall.

"I have everything set up on my laptop." He stopped in front of his open bedroom door, hesitating. "I can bring the laptop to the living room if you want."

I just want to get this done as quickly as possible. "It's fine here." She walked past him and sat in the chair next to the desk.

"As long as you're okay with it." Shun took his seat in front of the laptop. "What day did you see him?"

"When I walked home..."

Shun froze, his jaw tight. "The one day we didn't drive you. I'm so sorry, Misa."

She gripped her hands in her lap. "It's not your fault. Let's just figure this out."

Shun pulled up the footage from the day and watched it in fast forward after Misaki had arrived at their house.

"Wait, wait, right there. Go back a little." Misaki pointed at a hooded man who stopped to stare down their street not long after Misaki and Ren passed by. Her stomach dropped. "That might be him. It's the same grey hoodie from that guy on the bus."

"Almost like he followed you, but how? Was he driving and parked elsewhere? Maybe it was about us and not you, and he'd just been watching this street. I should check over more days... The security guard who watches over this said no one came down the street, but it's not unusual for people to look."

"If he's after you guys, why'd he follow me?"

"Dating rumours would be my guess."

"I don't know... Something doesn't feel right about this. Keep going and see when he pops up again."

Shun fast-forwarded, and the man popped up again, passing by their street every half hour. He played it, watching the man each time to see if they could catch his face.

The man stopped and stared straight at the camera.

Misaki jumped, gripping Shun's shoulder as she hid behind him. It's definitely him. She stared at the frozen picture, his face covered by a mask, but terrifying nonetheless. "He was waiting for me to come out."

"But if one of us drove you, then what would his plan have been? Follow in a car again? We can't tell enough from just this camera. We don't even know when he started following." Shun zoomed in and took a screenshot. "It's not much to work with, but I'll let the guards know to look out for him." He printed out a few copies of the picture. "I'll be right back." Shun took off.

Misaki stared at him for a while, a familiar feeling washing over her. Who is he? I feel like I should know... She fast-forwarded more until he hopped into the bushes. What in the world is he doing?

Shortly after, she spotted herself coming down the street, looking around. Goosebumps trailed up her arms as she remembered that night. She had turned the corner to head to the bus stop, and the man in the bushes shifted his location to follow her.

No wonder he appeared out of nowhere to board the bus; he was literally hiding in the bushes.

Misaki shuddered, hugging herself.

"One of them said they'd ask a buddy at the station if they could check on the city cameras around the bus stop," Shun said as he returned.

Misaki jumped and turned to him. "O-okay, thank you." Though I doubt it'll help much.

"I'm sorry. Did I startle you?" He sat back down beside her and rubbed her back gently as she leaned towards him. "Maybe asking you to look through this was too much. I don't want to trigger you—"

"I needed to see it." Misaki rewound a bit and showed him when she came down the street.

"Ugh, that's extra creepy. It's probably a bit much to ask, but it might be best if you avoid going outside alone for a while. I'd rather not restrict you like some sort of prisoner—"

"I get it, Shun. Honestly, as long as there's food in the kitchen and working internet, I should be fine staying inside for long periods of time." Wouldn't be the first time.

"I'm not quite sure how to take that, but okay. If there's something you want, you can ask either of us, or Tanaka, who has the daytime shift at the front door. You can tell it's him because of the scar over his right eyebrow."

"Okay." Scar over right eyebrow.

"Considering everything that's going on, we'll understand if you don't want to work right now."

Misaki shook her head profusely. "Nope, no way. I'm not slacking in my work. If anything, I need it to distract me from this stalker. In the short time I was alone in my room, I wrote an entire song. Not one for your album, and maybe in need of refinements, but a song. Minus the music... I didn't bring my keyboard with me."

Shun wrapped his arm around her shoulders and turned, gesturing towards his keyboard. "You can use mine for now; just a short move into your room."

"I couldn't take yours. What if you feel like using it?"

"Then I'll use one of the ones in our studio. It's fine, Misa. Best to have it on hand for the musical genius." He winked at her, smiling.

"Oh!" Her heart skipped a beat. Please don't do that! It's a wonder I don't faint like Emi.

"Here, I'll even help you move it." Shun picked up his keyboard with the stand and carried it into Misaki's room, setting it down next to the desk. "What do you think? A good spot?"

"Perfect." Just like at home. "Thank you, Shun." She held her hand over her heart, wishing it would calm down. He's still the same sweet, grounded guy I remember. Both the brothers are great. "You two are seriously too good to me."

"Too good? No, that's not it. We're decent guys who want to help a friend in need. Besides, this will be more convenient for our wonky schedules, to get together and make music." He winked at her again.

Misaki averted her gaze, biting her lip. They have to stop doing this to me.

"You're already helping us when we need it, so don't overthink it."

"Paying me to work for you isn't the same as saving me from a stalker and letting me live in your house, despite what might happen if people find out. On that note, does Daichi know about this arrangement?"

Shun frowned, his brows furrowing. "I haven't mentioned it to him, and something tells me Ren hasn't either. Guess that's on me to tell him. Don't worry, though; it doesn't matter what he says, we're not kicking you out."

"I have a feeling you guys push your luck with the label a lot."

"Helps that we're their biggest ticket." He rubbed his fingers and thumb together. "Money speaks. They will want us to keep this a secret."

"Of course. Other than Emi, I have no intention of telling anyone." Hopefully, she won't tell our parents. That could lead to a sticky situation. "But who knows about the stalker..."

"Well, they're on the lookout for him, but there's not much we can do to him unless he tries to break in. Say, are you hungry?"

"Not really; this whole situation has had my stomach knotted up."

"Oh." His shoulders slouched. "A movie to distract you until you're hungry? How about sweets? Ren has a separate stomach for those, so he's always ready to eat them."

"I really shouldn't." I've been eating too much dessert lately.

Shun raised an eyebrow. "It's okay to have some dessert. It's even okay to pull a Ren and eat cake for supper, if you want, but please don't do that all the time."

"As much as I might want to eat sweets all the time, I can't."

"Can't? Not won't? Why do I feel like there's more behind this?"

"Because you're too perceptive for your own good. Both of you are." Misaki sighed. When's the last time I had people around me like this? People who care. People who actually have my best interests in mind.

Shun gave her a playful bump on the arm. "How about I give you a baking lesson instead?"