MYSTERY I: The phone call

Hikari stomped her foot forward, in a hurry. According to what Yukio had told the group, this abandoned kitsune shrine was a place that the culprit frequently visited. Hikari inquired, she prompted as much as she could about the whys and wheres of the unsaid truth but Yukio had been insistent that it is something that Hikari would find out on her own in time.

“You'll figure out everything in due time, have patience.”

Is what he had said. Kaito kept his lips sealed since Yukio had spoke about the location, avoiding putting his input, despite Yukio's vague instruction. In fact, both Kaito and Saqib had, it could only mean one thing.

They all know something I don't.

Fuming, Hikari frantically looked around, the shrine was shrouded with trees, tattered aged crimson clothes that were used to worship the shrine were everywhere on the ground. Just what is it that Hikari was supposed to know? That she was supposed to find out?

Damnit!

Nothing made sense, the dark of the night was silent, only the sound of rustle echoed but no wind blew, the moonless sky did nothing to improve the vision of the desperate woman. Eerily enough, Kaito turned on the torch from his phone, Silence echoed when her feet put a halt to their senseless wondering. Hikari's heart ached, beads of sweat formed on her forehead, the isolation of the forest hummed in unison as if singing a melody Hikari had never heard before, the momentum of distance between the farthest tree rustled, seeming to have stepped closer. Each beat of her heart, brought a dry strain in her throat.

Forward, right? A step forward is what she should take, yet she took one back. Her phone buzzed, lighting up the screen. Hikari brought the screen closer to her face, there was no signal. Her eyes wondered as the realization of reality hit her nerves, this was a shrine that humans have not visited in ages, a pinnacle of isolation and human avoidance, if her breath were to stop here, none would come to put her soul back in her body. The farthest darkness in the woods hummed it's melody of curiosity and fear, something rustled once again as if intentionally calling for her to disappear into it. Hikari gulped, a lump of anxiety and fright in her throat ached. Her feet shivered with the thought of the unknown.

Come, come, come into the forest~

Is what the silence of the woods sang to her. Pulling her in to take her away-

“Hikari, would you stop ignoring me?!” Kaito’s voice echoed in the lone grounds of the shrine. Hikari was spun around by her arm, almost surprised to find that Kaito existed in that moment with her, He did not disappear? Hikari couldn't help but simply stare into Kaito’s eyes, now that she was noticing, his eyes glistened with redness.

Is he crying?

“Kai..” Alas it didn't take her long before memories of what had transpired came crashing down in her mind. Her doe eyes glared. Hikari yanked away her arm from his grip. “Get away from me!” Driven by emotions, Hikari shoved at Kaito’s chest, pushing him away. However, her attempts to make distance between them was a failure, for Kaito didn't budge from where he stood, the angsty edge in his eyes spoke nothing but restraint. An itch scratched up in Hikari's throat, as if she was frightened for a moment. He took a step closer and Hikari took one back, if he catches her, would she disappear too? “I know you have no reason to trust me-”

“Oh you do now? Was it fun watching me beg you to trust me? Was making me feel like I was going insane funny? When you knew fully well that I wasn't! I came to you so many times to ask you if you knew anything and you kept shutting me out even though you knew everything! I thought we were friends, Kai but you proved me wrong, I hope you are happy about that.”

A swarm of emotions that Hikari didn't know she even had come out in a hurl of words, words that stung yet embraced Kaito. The intimacy of expecting, of leaning on someone- the intimacy of seeing the ugliest parts of each other. Kaito returned the hurtful glare Hikari had stabbed him with. “What else do you think I should've done? Let you know everything I know and watch you do something risky? I would lie to you a thousand times if it meant keeping you away from danger, Hikari! I will not watch you burn yourself out into cinders, especially not for a guy like Hiroshi!”

The blood rushed to Hikari's head, Kaito honesty hurt her more than his lie did. “As if you have told me everything! Even now you and senpai keep hiding things from me!” Instead of answering her complaints, Kaito simply wrapped his fingers around her arms, pulling her towards the entrance torii gates. “You don't need to know whatever the hell is going on between rich families and criminals. I shouldn't have let you come here at all, we are going home.”

Hikari watched his frame from behind as he dragged her, the boy she had always known to be fragile had now grown into a man who lies to save her skin. And… that infuriated her. Who the hell does he think he is to dictate her life, he may be right about her questionable life decisions, his intentions might be just to protect her but it is her life, her mistakes to make and her hurt to carry.

Hikari yanked her hand back again, out of his loosened grip. “Piss off, I will take care of my own mess, I don't need you freaking telling me what to do.” That broke the dam of patience Kaito had, if he ever had any. “Oh I would like to see you do anything on your own! You can't even find any leads on your own, if it wasn't for Manabe Senpai, you wouldn't even be here and be sulking at home instead. Stop stirring up a shit storm for yourself and go home while you are still sane from reality. This is the truth, Hikie. You are nothing but a sheltered princess, the mess of criminals and the rich has no need for you.” Kaito’s words carried intense weight, more than Hikari would ever be able to understand. He sighed, knowing he had said too much. But..

She needed to hear this..

Her eyes glistened with tears yet angered, a pucker of her lips quivering, she was resisting every urge to cry. And Kaito knew that his words had reached her, those were not tears of anger but reality hitting in, the kind of reality she couldn't deny any longer. Kaito released an exhale ofdefeat. “Hey.. I'm sorry alright? Let's go and calmly talk this out, Hm? This isn't the place for such conversations..” Kaito apologies, embarrassed at himself for losing his temper and for hurting her.

Buzz

Awkwardly, he reached out his hand to hold her hand again, gently this time. “Hikari?”

However, Hikari's eyes were widened in disbelief, staring at her vibrating screen. She lift her head with tears streaming down her eyes and showed Kaito her screen.

Hiroshi

A phone call from Hiroshi, Kaito’s face contorted with horror, he leaped to grab the phone from her hand, Alas, he was far to late. “Hello!? Hiroshi?! Are you okay!? Oh my lords just where are you?!-”

She screamed into the call, hot tears streaming down her cheeks as her voice cracked.

“Here.” Kaito didn't need to see the owner of the voice to know he was smiling, Hiroshi's voice called out from behind Hikari, a thin smile on his. A smile of gratefulness and relief plastered on Hikari's face, her chin had quivered. No longer being able to hold back, she openly sobbed. “Hiroshi-”

The man opened his arms, Hikari knew it was an invite for her long awaited embrace. It was really Hiroshi! The love of her life, the only man who hasn't shunned her for existing the way she desired, the only man who accepted her for the bizarre way she really was. He was her salvatore, her messiah- her everything.

His one hand opened in the air to invite her, while the other dug in his back pocket. Hikari didn't know what had happened after that, the only thing she could register in her mind was the frightened screaming of her friend and the crimson that leaked from her when she fell to the rubble of stones beneath her. Excruciating pain travelling to every cell of the pain as she wailed in pain.

Only then did she understand why Yukio and Kaito had tried to keep her away from the truth.