Unexpected Friends
Chapters 20. Involved

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Anzu drove us to the UKS. There he took some gauze, alcohol, betadin, and ointment for our wounds. Things are getting a little better. Although Ayumi still fainted, Kenji kept her company.

"A little more."

"Ohhh, how much longer."

I complained to Anzu, it's been the last time she said 'A little more' to tie cotton to my eyes. Looks like the punch marks made my right eye swollen. "It." Said Anzu while taking a few steps back.

I touched the gauze bond that Anzu made. At first Anzu nagged me, "Don't hold it! It'll be broken again." But then he said, "Be careful, Haruka."

"B.. B.. How do you know my name?" Things got very awkward between us. But Anzu tried to melt it, "You, Hideo's friend, right? I'm Sakamoto Anzu." It turns out he knows my name from Hideo. Substantial.

"Done your cliche show?" Kenji from near the mattress Ayumi 'call' us. "Your life should not be full of romance continued Haruka. You're making Ayumi so contagious."

This invisible being, I wanted to shout at her but was unsettled because of her miserable condition waiting for Ayumi to wake up. "I heard your plan from the beginning. Tell Ayumi to shoot me? Don't make me puke."

All right enough, "Just Ayumi you're being nice, so I thought..."

"We've been apart for 12 years and he's forgotten me. You know how much I miss him? And look, now he has to lie in a bed like a dying patient!" While pointing at Ayumi, Kenji blames me. I don't accept this, I just want to help.

"Kenji! Watch your words." Anzu represents my heart. Kenji also returned. "Stupid with you."

"Shut up! It's in the UKS!" Bu Inawari, who is in charge of the UKS, took a sharp look at us. We also put our lips. "Anzu, today it's your turn. Take good care of the kids who are there." After pointing at me and Ayumi alternately, Bu Inawari came out of the UKS room leaving Me, Anzu, Kenji, and Ayumi.

Silence, I can't stand it. I tried to open the topic, "So you said Ayumi your sister?" Dang it Haruka! Why ask sensitive questions? Especially the one who's the most annoying. "Huh, if so why?" Hah yes already. What happens let it happen.

"How is it? Your clan is different." Anzu!!! Jeez he doesn't know Kenji's ugly reputation when he's insinuating?

"Well, briefly. We're half brothers. If you leak it, I'll kill you." Kenji's threats are sinister, but Anzu casually replies, "Oke~"

"Otau-san and Okaa-san-ku got married because they had to." Kenji. "Even so, Otau-san loves Okaa-san who actually has a 'storage'. After I was born said Ozii tyan(Kakek), Okaa-san ran away from home."

"3 years later Okaa-san returns home with a daughter-Ayumi-. He is commonly called an illegitimate child. But to me, She Is My Sunshine."

"We are inversely proportional, the cheerful Ayumi and the pessimistic me. But because of that, our relationship became close. Until a year later Okaa-san died and a man who turned out to be her Otau-san took Ayumi away."

"For years I tried to see him again. Otau-san luckily helped me, until I finally got to class with Ayumi sacrificing my 1 year."

I didn't know this shitty Kenji had a sad story. "Gomae." I don't know why that word came out of my mouth. "It's okay." Reply Kenji.

"So you're 'Sister' Kenji?" Anzu said that destroyed the atmosphere of this haru. "Boo!" My cheer to Anzu.

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"Boo!" Cheers Brother Haruka.

"I'm here, Haruka."

Brother Haruka who had been practicing his cheers was turned out to be uttered by Kak Anzu himself who suddenly appeared.

Brother Anzu closed the door again and came closer to our table. "It's tea." Said Anzu while giving a tote bag containing homemade tea packets.

"Anzu! Don't suddenly come that way. I almost had a heart attack." Brother Haruka who is still between shocked and upset patted the back of Anzu Kak slowly. "Gomae~" I think Brother Anzu is too relaxed to respond to it.

After Haruka put the tote bag on the table, she spoke to me again. "By the way, Alice. From the story, you understand the silver lining, right?"

Of course I get it.

"Don't fall in love easily. If our candidate turns out to be a very sad brother." Before I could answer, Brother Anzu interrupted the origin so as to make Kak Haruka pout. "That's not it!" Said Brother Haruka was upset, but Brother Anzu instead laughed crisply.

I also smiled amusedly. After Anzu finished laughing, I just replied, "You mean our brother should respect our close ones?"

Brother Haruka smiled widely then nodded steadily. "True, we don't know if we can meet him again. Whatever we hate, it must be deep in our hearts still dear. Right Anzu?" Brother Haruka nudged Brother Anzu's hand for support.

Brother Anzu smiled wryly while nodding softly. They look harmonious. "Btw, how's Ayumi doing after you guys left? And Suzy?" I asked while putting my cup back on the table.

Brother Haruka looked at me with a sad look. I knew it was going to end, but I still asked. After breathing heavily, Haruka replied, "Kenji was looking after Ayumi all night. But the teacher standing guard at the UKS told him to go back to the room even though Kenji gave a lot of excuses."

"Anzu was there too, right? How's proceeding?" While looking at Anzu's brother, Haruka asked him to continue.

Anzu's brother scratched his neck without seeing Haruka's eyes. "Well, I was finally able to take the boy to his room by force. I got to meet Naoki too." Obviously while looking at the ceiling of the hut.

"Sister Anzu met Naoki? Furugawa Naoki?"

"I.. Yeah, how do you know his full name?"

Brother Anzu and Brother Haruka looked at me with strange gazes. But I kept answering, "He's my best friend."

"So, Soredemo(Remain still)." Previously, Haruka continued his words, Anzu interrupted quickly. "After the incident Suzy in Drop Out was forced by the school. Although Suzy's family is rich, Kenji's father is her boss.Destiny is funny huh?"

Brother Haruka looked at the face of Brother Anzu. They make eye contact. Shhht.

I don't know what the two of them are thinking, but I feel, "You guys seem to fit in." My words unconsciously made them misbehave. "M-where possible! We're do-doang's friends." Said Brother Haruka disputing. While the calm Anzu Brother suddenly spun his way out of the hut.

My one sentence could make this ruin? My inner. "I mean you guys fit in when you're partners. The one in the UKS, and now."

My late speech certainly did not restore the atmosphere. Brother Haruka got up from his chair and said, "The rest is over soon. You better get back to class." Want to try as hard as anything, Haruka sister can not hide her embarrassment. "More times don't just say that. I'm embarrassed."

I apologized to Brother Haruka and then opened the door out of the hut. A few steps after I came out, suddenly Brother Haruka's hand held my shoulder. "You have to be better." Brother Haruka said softly.

About that, "I'll try." I don't know if I can still forgive Fumika.

Sets. A gentle swipe touched the tip of my head. "May it work." Said Brother Haruka then pinched my cheek slowly. I remember Eliz. What is he doing now?

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[Fumika POV]

Till.

After a long tour and wondering, I finally found the OSIS room on the 1st floor, near the Administrative Room.

For a moment I was nervous. "How do I start?" Questions in my heart. Hah, let's open the door first.

"What are you doing?" That short question surprised me. Unknowingly I shouted a little.

As I turned around to see who was asking, I found a large high-ranking Class Brother. The skin is mature sapodilla, it seems not Japanese let alone from the accent. His eyes were sharp looking at me, there was no expression on his face.

I looked back at him. Then I calmly said, "I'm looking for Brother Akbar-San. Did you see him?"

"Well, what are you looking for me for?" It seems like the goddess of luck is on my side. I was able to find Brother Akbar quickly, thank goodness.

I smiled with relief, then continued, "There are some questions I want to ask you, Brother." Akbar listened carefully, but then he interrupted. "Wait, how about we go to the OSIS room first? Relax, they get all the students in and out. Especially the one that's already ex-OSIS."

***

And that's how I got to be in the OSIS room surrounded by upperclassmen who looked good, but turned out to be very good. "If thirsty, just take the juice there." Say the brother who is known as Brother Johan while pointing at the box containing juice near the window.

"Accbar! You often visited." Sapa Kak Johan while tos with Kak Akbar. "Well, only here do I get free food." Reply brother Akbar while eating the bread of the srikaya in his hand.

Turns out, brother Akbar broke, my Inner. "You think this is a charity? Ask for a limit." A book suddenly came shaking the head of Kak Akbar until he grimaced. "So rough for Nami." Nami's sister gave a rude snort and went to continue her report at another table.

You don't want to make any more pleasantries. While the atmosphere of the room where we were talking was quiet, I immediately asked, "Sister Akbar, know the murder case a year ago?"

Is it too frontal? Brother Akbar suddenly choked while eating his bread. He quickly reached for the apple juice next to him and gulped it greedily. When he finished, he replied, "What do you want?"

The atmosphere of the room turned serious, then I will not convoluted anymore. "I'm Fumika Hattori. The son of senior deputy Ukana Hattori who is investigating the case." Obviously I'm formal, but it seems like Brother Akbar is not paying attention to me very well.

"Pff!" I could hear a little laughter clearly. After that, Akbar laughed loudly until he hit the table. "Wahaha! Police boy, girl? Haha.. My stomach."

I hate this. It turns out that brother Akbar is weakening me as well. What if it is a woman? Gender doesn't limit us to being this - it's again in the present.

... Fumika~Fumika~, girls can only sit sweetly, do not interfere with Otau-San's affairs. You were a kid. Play with kids your age~...

"Haha, stop. Your father is solving the case. Mending you learn the real."

"Why brother?" I try to control myself so that things don't get more complicated. Finished from laughing, Akbar wiped the tears with his alma mater's arm. "Well, you asked me, I don't know. This complicated case alone the police movement is very slow, especially if only women like you are nanganin. Couldn't walk."

"Sister, that's rude." My patience limit is running out. But Akbar seemed happy to test myself. "It's true, isn't it? There we go, there's nothing to talk about anymore. I'm tired."

It was as if this guy was kicking me out. Do women have no right to move on their own feet? Determine your own choices? You think we're inferior to men? Don't think we're just princesses in a cage.

Brakes. Suddenly I kicked the table until it made Brother Akbar surprised. I can't stand it if my pride as a woman is insulted again. "Originally you know, as a result of this serial murder case the lives of 4 people die in a year and the school thinks this is messy? Their families are suffering!"

"I don't care what omae says. Want a cop, a woman, a cockroach, or a leaf to investigate, I-we-will solve this case. And since my brother is evicting me, I'd better talk to Naoki's sister."

I shifted my stool and stood up leaving Akbar who was still silent in place. "Wait!" Akbar cried to me. I grumbled and looked back. "Otherwise?" I'm really tired of dealing with this not knowing brother.

"Your name is Fumika, right? The one I was sorry for. I'm testing you."

Whahuh?

"You sit back. I'll explain." Not that I was it all this time, brother Akbar tested me. Between happy and angry it turns out that brother Akbar did not mean to insult me for real. But still upset.

After I sat back in the chair facing Akbar, he began to speak. "Listen Fumika, the case you're 'handling' is a serial murder case. For a year the killer was nowhere to be found, but with the connections and image of an elite school it was supposed to be before the murders of the two perpetrators could be caught."

"Especially this school has a high level of security. How did the killer get in? And what is the motive again? If just tear down the accreditation¹ this school is excessive."

I thought for a moment, what Brother Akbar said was right. If outsiders cannot enter means, "Inner. The killer could be students, teachers, or staff. But since the case isn't exposed to even the news, there's something else that's awkward."

Akbar, who had finished eating his Srikaya bread, folded the plastic wrap in a strange pattern. "Yes. It's getting weird especially the victims of scholarship kids. Except Kenji."

"Wait, did Kenji's parents know about it?" Brother Akbar shook his head reinforcing my speculative statement. Then Akbar said, "They don't know Kenji's 'bench' has been sold to the school."

... You guys how the hell? If you can get it here it should be good value too. Different stories that, ahem...

The words of Bu Inawari after the impromptu IPA test came back to light in my head. "Much like you know all this?!" I tried to make my voice as normal as possible when I was surprised instead of playing. If my thinking is correct, the school is also involved in this murder.

"Bu Youki told me everything. Even though she has PTSD², Ms. Youki is still conscious. Well, before his Bipolar strikes." It turned out that Bu Youki also knew about it.

"It's a tough job, Fumika. That's why I tested you in the beginning to see if you weren't messing around." Crossing his arms Akbar stared at me intensely, "I expect a lot from you."

Akbar's brother turned out to be on the support side. Domo Arigato Kami-sama (Thank you so much God) has helped me.

"It's not 'I' brother. But 'We'." Say steady. Brother Akbar laughed a little, but not as condescending as before.

"By the way, did you say Naoki's name?" Suddenly, Akbar asked me. Then I said, "Of course. Without his help we wouldn't have advanced like this."

The look on Akbar's face turned into confusion. "Naoki Furugawa's name isn't it?" Ask once more. I nodded small.

Suddenly Akbar got up from his chair and asked me to stand up as well. He asked me to walk in this OSIS room somewhere, then opened a door of wood. The bright light from the room illuminated the other side of the door.

We go inside it. Brother Akbar turned on a switch that seemed like a long time not to be turned on. Eventually the room became bright.

The first thing I saw was the tables, chairs, and other furniture in this room. And the framed photos. "This is the memorial room of the Ex-OSIS from the first year to the present. See that there's a picture of me in part 2012."

I saw what Mr. Akbar was pointing at, a picture frame filled with a picture of a man whose face is the same as that of Mr. Akbar. Below it is the inscription 'Secretary'.

"What did you mean to bring me here?" Brother Akbar is difficult to guess, so I asked. "See the photo next to me." I looked at the photo next to Akbar's.

How surprised I was to see the same face as the one who helped us find Ayumi. There is a picture frame of Naoki below which reads 'Vice chairman' and the flowers around him. The former incense stick is still visible around his photo along with its pungent smell.

"Naoki can't go to school anymore. He's being critical because of the asshole who attacked him." Akbar stared at Naoki's picture without paying me any heed. "How can you communicate with Naoki's spirit?"

I tried to be aware of my shock. This strange fact made my head spin. Alice's power is stronger than I thought. He made the ghost look real.

That's why we can see Ayumi in a human figure when Alice is near her, but when she goes the figure of Ayumi becomes a ghost and then fades.

... I lack 'energy', but it's okay...

So this is what Ayumi meant.

"Halooo~ Fumika." The greeting of Akbar resuscitated me back to reality. I remember he had a question. "So how is it?"

I smiled a little. "My best friend has superpowers." It's getting more interesting!

[To Be Continue!] 🌲

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¹Accreditation is a technical/academic feasibility assessment of the school.

²PTSD, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder