All the things you don't know

Some voices soothe your ears like the sound of drizzling rain, then there are some voices which pierce your eardrums like the shrill sound of a siren, and then there are some which instil disgust, dread and fear in your cells. This was how Himari felt.

“Uh… umm…”

Kou, who went to answer the door, stammered after hearing that man’s introduction.

The man who stood there had a posh and expensive-looking car just behind him, and it was easy to tell just by looking at him that he was rich. That silk coat, exorbitant watch on his left hand and his way of carrying himself, everything strongly supported that realisation.

“Umm… Please excuse me if I am wrong, but… Kuwahara Kou-san?”

“Uhh… y–yeah… Yes, you are right. Have we met before… Uhm… Yamashiro Aoto-san?”

Kou was caught off guard, he never expected that the man would know him.

“Wow… nice to meet you Kou-san… hope you don’t mind me calling you by your first name.”

“N–No… please…. Yamashiro-san”

“Actually, I visited your house a few times and have talked with your father Kuwahara Yuichi-san. And I also saw some of your photos when I visited your house, so I just kinda guessed from that…”

“Oh… sorry, I don’t remember seeing you in our house before, Yamashiro-san…”

“Haha… yes, somehow we always missed each other… It’s great to finally meet you Kou-san.”

“Y–Yes… it.. is”

Kou, who knew almost nothing about the man, was impressed by his personality and his aura. He was friendly and formal at the same time, and it was very amazing how his voice gave a very mesmerising tone to his sentences.

“...Are you visiting Himari-chan? She should be very happy since I am guessing that you’re visiting this new house of hers for the first time…”

“Yes… actually… haha… I hope so, Yamashiro-san…”

While Kou was conversing with Aoto at the door; Chiharu, Yushu and Himari were in the living room, hearing faint stubs of words here and there.

“Who is there? Seems like Kou-kun is talking a lot at the door… Do you know who’s at the door, Ayane-san, Himari?”

“Uh…. Umm… no, I-I do–don’t think so…”

Yushu tried to answer, but all he could do was speak a few breaking words because his attention was fixated on Himari who had her back turned towards Chiharu, and face towards Yushu.

And, that face was the same… the same expressions and eyes that had brought Yushu here to Himari’s house– there was no mistake, Himari was petrified just by hearing that faint voice.

“Himari-san… wait here, and don’t worry your heart out…”

Yushu whispered to Himari as he stood and started moving towards the door.

“I’ll check who’s at the door, Matsunaga-san…”

“Oh… thank you, Ayane-san.”

Chiharu replied quickly and resumed playing with Ren, both of whom had no idea about the visitor at the door.

“–Kou-san… just wanted to ask, is Himari-chan at home, right now?”

“Yes–”

Just as Kou was about to answer truthfully, Yushu reached the door and interrupted quickly...

“Yes… no, she isn’t home right now Yamashiro-san. Hello!”

Kou looked at Yushu and was somehow able to understand that he was supposed to be quiet and play along.

“Oh, Ayane-san? Hello! You’re also here… what a coincidence… How’re you doing? Hope you didn’t mind me interrupting your talk with Himari-chan that day.”

Even though Kou wasn’t able to grasp that hint of satire in Aoto’s voice, Yushu understood it very clearly. Yushu was able to see those devious eyes of Aoto, the ones that he didn’t really pay attention to, that day he met this man.

“No– No worries, Yamashiro-san! Unfortunately, Himari-san isn’t at home right now, she has gone out with Ren-san for something… Did you have some urgent work or a message for her? We could let her know that you came by and give your message if you like…”

Kou was staring at Yushu and the reason was simple. He hadn’t seen Yushu speak more than a few simple sentences here and there but right now, Yushu was talking like some actor reciting his lines, clearly and precisely.

“Haha… Thank you Kou-san, Ayane-san… It would be great if you could let her know that I came by. And I am very happy that Ren-chan can play and be with all of you. As a father, I am quite relaxed now that I know all of you are here for her.”

“No– no, it’s our pleasure Yamashiro-san. Ren-san is a very good kid!”

Kou could only nod and give a few weird smiles here and there while Yushu handled all the conversation. It was all too sudden and strange, and even Yushu himself didn’t know that he was speaking all this much, so expressively.

“I’ll come by again sometime… thank you again for being with Himari-chan in taking care of Ren-chan while her mother and I have to be somewhere else.”

“You’re welcome, Yamashiro-san… see you later!”

Kou and Yushu saw a man open the car’s door for Aoto. Aoto gave Yushu a very normal-villainous look one last time, as he waved goodbye to both Kou and Yushu, and sat inside the car.

“What was that Ayane-san?”

“Huhh… w–what was what, Kuwahara-san?”

“Huh? You barely spoke to all of us in like eight or ten hours we were together, and right now you were speaking like some actor in a movie…”

“I–I was?”

“Ehhh…”

Kou was surprised that Yushu didn’t even realise how he was conversing just a few moments before. Yushu, on the other hand, had more pressing things on his mind, like trying to know what is going on between this man and Himari.

“–And, why did you lie to Yamashiro-san?”

“...”

Yushu, who was already engrossed in his thoughts, couldn’t muster anything to say.

“Umm… I-I… j-just…”

“Huh? Ayane-san?”

While Yushu struggled to make up something and Kou was looking at him with a confused face, both of them reached the living room, and Chiharu suddenly interrupted them.

“Shhhh… Kou-kun, Ayane-san… Ren is sleeping.”

Chiharu whispered as she tried to scold both Kou and Yushu while patting the head of the sleeping Ren.

“Sorry, Chi-chan…”

Yushu looked around and didn’t find Himari in the room, so he quickly asked at his normal volume.

“Matsunaga-san…”

“Shhh…”

“Sorry, Matsunaga-san, do you know where Himari-san went?”

Yushu whispered softly.

“Yes, she just went to the kitchen to get something.”

Yushu rushed towards the kitchen, while Kou volunteered to put Ren in her futon, as she was sleeping on the floor of the living room.

“Himari-san?!”

Reaching the kitchen, Yushu saw Himari standing again with her back turned towards him, but Yushu could know that she was shaking a bit.

“Himari-san… Yamashiro-san has gone… are you okay?”

Yushu somehow tried to break that biting silence.

“...”

“Y-Yes-s… I-I a-am… o-oka-y…”

Himari answered very meekly without turning her face back.

“Himari-san… here… have some water.”

“NO!!!”

Himari screamed and flung her arm back which shoved the glass in Yushu's hand and it shattered on the ground. Hearing the commotion, both Kou and Chiharu came to the kitchen, while Ren was sleeping in her futon peacefully.

“What happened, Himari… Ayane-san?”

Chiharu quickly asked, but Himari kept silent and kept her face towards the wall.

“Matsunaga-san, Kuwahara-san… Himari-san is… a bit… y–you kno-w…”

“Wh–”

Just as Chiharu was going to ask more questions, Kou sensed something and interrupted.

“Chi-chan, let’s go home… it’s too late and remember you promised to cook me something tonight…”

“Huh… Eh…”

Chiharu, who was confused as to when she made the promise stuttered.

“Come on… let these two talk it out… come on Chi-chan…”

Saying this Kou tugged Chiharu towards the gate while Yushu looked at Kou with admiration and gratitude.

“Kou-kun… but…”

“No buts… and ifs… Chi-chan, a promise is a promis–”

This was the last piece of a sentence that Yushu and Himari could hear as Kou and Chiharu walked out of the house and shut the door behind them.

“...”

“Himari-san–”

Himari wasn’t trembling anymore.

“...”

“Do you know, Yushu-kun? Do you know?”

“Wh–”

“Do you know that there are times when you are so angry or sad or scared that you don’t even breathe… like you feel that breathing will somehow hinder in making everything around you better…”

Yushu kept mum, he knew that this was probably the tip of the iceberg.

“Yushu-kun… sometimes… life ain’t right… well, you know that, I know that… but what we both don’t know, or well what we all fail to consider when it’s happening to ourselves is that it’s not always our fault…”

“It’s not always– it just is what–”

“Himari-san, breathe… please… you’re almost gasping between your words and your face is red…”

Himari somehow seemed to calm down a bit. She took some deep breaths and continued.

“Yushu-kun, you know how I knew you were going to be there at that terrace? How did I know that you were going to jump? Or how did I get inside your house without your keys?”

“...”

“I had been watching you since I joined this university, I was watching you when you wrote that note… that suicide note which you decided to throw in the garbage–”

“Himari-san!?”

Yushu’s eyes were wide open as he never expected that the note that he wrote one day before attempting his suicide ended up being read by someone. More than that, he was confused as Himari was seemingly jumping from one thing to another and it was hard to make sense of what she really wanted to say.

“Yushu-kun, it’s okay… I know, and I am not going to tell anybody else, so don’t worry…”

“...”

“Himari-san… what about that man? I wanted to ask you about him…”

Himari took some deep breaths again like she was trying to muster the courage to even speak about all the things that she wanted to. After a few moments, she continued.

“As you know, it’s true… that m-man is my sister’s husband and father of Ren.”

“...”

“...He… H-He… is also the murderer of my parents and now the sole owner of the Kuwahara hospitality chain.”