As the two of you walk into the forest, the breeze starts to pick up. You guys push deeper into the forest in hopes to find Takemichi.
After searching a bit, you get tired and decide to lean on a tree. Chifuyu stops beside you.
"You know- I thought about something..." Chifuyu softly says.
"Hm?" You hum, looking back up at him.
"We are supposed to be looking for this guy... but we are in a forest..." Chifuyu softly say, his eyes slowly drifting towards yours.
"Okay... I don't understand..." You slowly look at Chifuyu.
"Do you know how big forests are... Like- are we ever going to actually find this guy?" Chifuyu sighs. You furrow your eyebrows thinking about what he said. He's not wrong... the forest is big... would you two even be able to find Takemichi?
"What guy?" A voice says from above you. You flinch and quickly look up to see a boy standing in a tree. He has white hair and blue eyes. He looks really young, like someone who may be in junior high...
"Who are you?" Chifuyu asks in confusion. The boy smiles and tilts his head a bit.
"My name is Shin." The boy soothes.
"Shin...?" Chifuyu repeats in confusion.
"Mhm- you mention you're trying to find a guy- are you looking for a worker or is it something else?" Shin softly asks. You stare at him a bit before answering.
"Something else..." You softly reply.
"Mmm... may I ask what that something else is?" Shin's smile grows a bit. Chifuyu gets closer to you, grabbing onto your hand.
"Uh- a friend of mine. He went missing recently- I wanted to know if like... he-"
"Committed in the forest?" Shin interrupts you. You stare at him again and then slowly nod. Shin crosses his arms and looks behind him. Chifuyu leans in towards your ear.
"I don't trust that kid..." Chifuyu whispers. You furrow your eyebrows a bit. Shin looks back at the two of you and his smile relaxes.
"How long ago did he go missing... or like- how recent do you think he may have committed...?" Shin asks.
"Uh... Like- a few months ago." You softly answer.
"Interesting-" Shin leans against the tree a bit, holding his weight on his hand. "Did he leave a note to you that he would be here...?" Shin asks. You slowly nod. "Mmm..."
Chifuyu looks at you then back at Shin.
"Well- I can tell you two things... either your friend killed himself in another forest... or he's actually not dead..." Shin comments.
"Huh? What makes you say that?" Chifuyu rasps. Shin slowly looks Chifuyu up and down. Then he softly smiles.
"This forest gets checked often... and I haven't heard of a suicide here- it has been a few years since someone was found in this forest. Also- this forest is surrounding a shrine... it's wrong to commit such an act where harmony and peace is supposed to be... doing something like that puts those two in danger... and makes it impure."
"..." Chifuyu stares at him, unable to reply.
"How do you know if there hasn't been one... you know- sometimes they keep deaths private due to confidential reasons..." You softly say.
"I know that." Shin softly smiles. "But I would know since this shrine is owned by my family." He adds. Your eyes widen then relax. You slowly nod and take a deep breath.
"Thank you for letting us know... we should get going." Chifuyu says bowing. He holds his hand out for you to grab it. You grab onto his hand and the two of you prepare to leave.
"Wait- before you two go... I have a few questions to ask." Shin softly says, as he holds his hand out, motioning you not to leave. You both stop and look back at him.
"Hm?" You hum. Shin's arm drops to the side and he takes a silent deep breath.
"This friend of yours... what was his name?" Shin asks.
"Why would we tell you?" Chifuyu answers. Shin tilts his head a bit and softly smiles.
"I know many people... so if you need help finding someone- I can help you."
"Why would you help us?" Chifuyu asks.
"You both seem like nice people... I would love to help you find your lost friend... it sounds fun too- like a scavenger hunt." He smiles. You furrow your eyebrows a bit. Chifuyu squints at him.
"His name is Takemichi Hanagaki..." You softly answer.
"Takemichi... Hanagaki..." Shin quietly repeats.
"Okay... what are your other questions?" Chifuyu asks.
"What are your names?" Shin questions.
"..." You stare at him a bit before speaking up. "My name is Yuki Sato." You softly say.
"Chifuyu Matsuno."
"Are you two a couple?" Shin asks. The both of you shake your head. "Siblings... or family?"
"No-" You say bluntly. Shin nods and takes a deep breath.
"Can I give you a prayer..." Shin asks.
"Huh- why?" You ask. Shin's eyes relax, he looks more serious.
"Well- the reason I found you was because I felt negative energy coming from this way." He slowly raises his arm and points at you. "You reek of death."
Your eyes widen.
"Huh?"
"Let's go- just ignore him." Chifuyu pulls you away. The two of you disappearing into the distance. Shin stands still watching the two of you disappear. His softly smiles.
"Yuki... Sato- no wonder you weren't able to kill her Koda-" Shin smiles, leaning his head back a bit. Koda appears from behind the trees.
"Why do you say that?"
"She gives me the chills... and it excites me..." Shin smiles more, looking in the direction you and Chifuyu left in.
"... so what do you plan on doing?" Koda asks.
"Mmm.." Shin hums. Standing still and not giving an answer right away. "Did you catch that name?"
"Takemichi Hanagaki?" Koda repeats.
"Mhm... do some searching- I want to see if you can find this guy." Shin softly says.
"Why?" Koda asks. Shin slowly turns towards Koda and smiles.
"So that it gives me a reason to talk to Yuki again." Shin smiles. He jumps down from the tree and sadistically smiles at Koda. "I want to make her my new play toy~" He soothes.
You and Chifuyu stand by the bus stop, waiting for a bus to arrive.
"Do you actually believe that kid?" Chifuyu asks. You furrow your eyebrows and take a deep breath.
"I don't know- a part of me does but a part of me doesn't..." You slowly say. Chifuyu slowly nods and takes a deep breath.
"If this guy isn't dead then what...?"
"I don't know..." You look down the road and furrow your eyebrows a bit. "What should we do-?"
"Nothing for now... but I guess... when you come back- it would give us a good reason to be partners again." Chifuyu smiles. You smile and nod.
When arriving back in the city, you make your way to the hospital to see Izana.
"So- are you going to keep looking for him?" Izana asks.
"I don't know-"
"It gives you a good reason to stay." Izana softly says. You shake your head.
"It doesn't..." You reply. Izana sighs a bit and then relaxes his body back. You look towards him and your face softens.
"Izana..."
"Hm?"
"I'll come back... I promise..." You softly say. Izana looks at you and softly smiles.
"I know." He nods. You smile and nod too. "But- what would you tell your friend...?" Izana asks.
"..." You look down at your hands. You didn't really think about that.
You stand in front of Hina's apartment door, worried about how the conversation would go. You don't know entirely what to say to her. You frown a bit and prepare to knock.
"Are you looking for Hinata?" A voice says from beside you. You slowly look to see Naoto.
"... yeah."
"She's at the park... I tried talking to her but... I don't know... just- she's at the park..." Naoto says as he goes to the apartment door and unlocks it. You watch as he walks in and slowly closes the door. You turn your head towards the stairs of the complex.
You slowly make your way to the park. You stop when you see Hina sitting at the bottom of a slide. You slowly approach her, causing her to look up at you. Your eyes widen when you see a tired looking Hina.
"Hey..." You softly say, trying to lighten her mood.
"Hi Yuki..." She responds is a quiet and still tone.
"Why're you at the park... and why are you just sitting at the bottom of the slide...?" You softly ask. She stares at you a bit before softly sighing.
"Everything that's been happening lately-" She softly says.
"What do you mean?" You ask.
"Emma... and-"
"Takemichi?"
"..."
"That's what I came to talk to you about..." You softly say. Hina slowly looks down and then slowly nods.
"He's dead isn't he?" Hina asks. You stare at her. You don't even know if he's dead- and you don't want to give her false hope. What if he is dead? What if the forest nearby wasn't actually the forest that he died in... what if Kisaki said that to trick you. You furrow your eyebrows and clench your fists. But maybe he isn't dead...
"No-" You slowly say. "There's no evidence that he passed away... so far- I don't think there is..." You continue. "I haven't given up searching for him..." You add. Hina's eyes widen. "So don't give up either." You hold your hand out for her to grab it. She looks up at you, her eyes glossy and wide. She frowns and then wipes the tears in her eyes. She grabs your hand and you pull her up.
"You're right..." She sniffles. "Why am I crying... I shouldn't be crying." She smiles a bit at you and nods. "I'm going to find that jerk face- and bring him back home." She says in a confident tone. You smile and nod. Her smiles slowly goes away causing you to look at her confused.
"But... aren't you leaving?" She asks. You stare at her not knowing how to answer.
"For a little bit-" You answer. "But I will be back." You smile. She smiles too.
"Okay." She nods.
"You wanna eat?" You ask, holding your hand out for her to grab it. She nods and grabs your hand. The two of you walk out of the park but you stop walking once you completely walk out.
"What is it?" Hina asks. You stare in the direction you felt someone was staring at you from.
"Do you feel that?" You ask.
"Feel what?"
"Like someone was watching us?"
"Mm-mm." Hina hums while shaking her head. You rub your head and sigh a bit.
"Nevermind... I must be seeing things..." You pull her with you in the opposite direction you felt the presence of someone.
"..."
TO BE CONTINUED OCTOBER 12TH... 3 MORE CHAPTERS LEFT!