26th of December, noon, streets of Tokyo
Kana's way forward was blocked by a tall man looming over her. He looked to be in his early thirties, maybe late twenties. His clothing was entirely black, and there was not even a single brand logo on any item he wore. After she looked his body up and down for a moment, Kana spoke.
"No, I am not. I am not Kana Arima from B-Komachi. I am Kana Arima, the famous actress." Kana's words came out harsher than she had intended. A hint of confusion flickered on Kana's face as the man didn't seem to even notice, or perhaps care.
"Who are you? Do we know each other?" she asked, softer this time. Kana had wandered out of the filled downtown area of Tokyo by now. The massive skyscrapers and crowded intersections that were around her seemingly just moments ago were gone, replaced by single-family homes.
"My name is Haruki… And no, we haven't met in person before… Anyways, I need something from you." Haruki placed his backpack on the ground and knelt in front of it.
He had begun to rummage around inside of it before Kana even had the chance to respond. "Now, where did I leave it? Just wait a minute, please... I almost got it," Haruki mumbled as he searched intently through his backpack.
Okay, what the fuck is this guy's deal? He is giving me the creeps.
Kana nervously looked around.
"Hey, is this going to take a lot longer? I have places to be. You know?" Kana's voice came out quieter and more uncertain than she had intended it to.
"No, not at all. Just a moment, and I'll leave you alone again." Haruki said without looking back up at her.
Great, when exactly did I wander this far off into the middle of Nowhere? I could have sworn I was in big crowds just minutes ago. Where did everyone go all of a sudden?
Maybe I should get a peek at what's inside his backpack? I mean, it wouldn't hurt anybody. He probably wouldn't even notice it, just one little peek.
Kana slowly raised her head higher while standing on her tiptoes. It was just enough for Haruki, who was still distracted, not to notice it while she could still make out the contents of his backpack. It was very spacious; it looked like it was made by a high-end brand, but Kana just couldn't find any brand logo on it, either. Still, she was able to make out a few items inside of it. She could see a compact tripod lying on top of some spare clothes, next to which were two water bottles. There were a few smaller things, too, but they are mostly obscured by the bigger things. Yet two things he carried with him had captured Kana's entire focus, quickening the concern that had begun to rise on her inside.
Is that... Is that a rope…? Why would he be carrying around a rope with him? I never needed one of those before… But there are probably plenty of uses for it, like… like for example…
Like what?
And what's that shiny thing? ...Okay. Nope… Nope, nope, nope… I'm definitely not doing this. I will not wait around and find out. This guy is giving off massive stranger danger vibes.
What if that guy is some crazy killer, like the one that almost got Ruby a few days ago… Or maybe they are working together.
Various thoughts shot through her mind at an incredible pace, yet her legs, on the other hand, could've definitely needed a share of this speed. She knew that the guy was taller and probably faster than her, but anything was better than just standing around and accepting her fate; her legs didn't think like that, though. They liked that patch of sidewalk and wanted to stay.
Why? Why is this happening? I can't move my body… I don't want this… No! Somebody has to help me.
Kana's world began to move in slow motion as Haruki pulled his hand out of his backpack. Each additional centimeter of his arm that was revealed seemed to slow time down even further, almost coming to a complete halt at one point. The make-up that wasn't ruined by her earlier tears was ruined by now at the latest, as unbearably hot sweat began to form on her entire face.
Aqua...
help…
She thought as she squinted her eyes enough to make her face shake, silently accepting her very fate.
Then.
Nothing.
After a few seconds, she hesitantly opened her eyes back up, allowing for a little light to enter her iris. A wave of relief washed over her as she opened her eyes fully. Before her was Haruki, who was still smiling, holding out his B-Komachi-themed phone case in one, and a black marker in the other.
Jeez… Thank god I'm just paranoid… But what the hell is wrong with this guy, carrying all this creepy stuff with him… Didn't his mother or anybody teach him to read the fucking room?
And why did my stupid brain think about Aqua again… I don't need his sorry excuse for a friend to help me… See? I can handle these kinds of situations fully on my own.
"I'm the biggest B-Komachi fan ever," Haruki, who still held his arms out, said, "I absolutely love Ruby-Chan and Mem-Chan. And you too of course. I was so sad when I heard about you leaving B-Komachi, but I still love you almost as much as before. So it's all good. Could you maybe sign this for me?"
Kana, who was mostly fine except for her heart, which had begun to race after almost stopping, hesitantly grabbed both items out of his hands. "S-Sure," she muttered as she took the lid off the marker.
I bet he would actually prefer Ruby or Mem to be here right now. But who wouldn't? I really can't be mad at him for that.
She swiftly signed his case, like she did plenty of times before alongside Ruby and Mem-Cho after their shows, before she handed it back to him. "Here you go. But I have a question before you leave," she said as she tried to form a smile. It must've looked grotesque, the smeared makeup, the sweat, the fear. But she didn't really care at the moment.
Kana stepped a bit closer, her smile fading a bit. She reached out her hand and pointed towards his now closed backpack, which was just standing on the ground between them. "I had a little peek inside your backpack."
She did her best to appear cute and innocent to him while she confessed to her sin. "Sorry, I was just too curious. You got a lot of stuff in there. What do you use it for?"
Haruki looked up at her while stuffing his black marker back into his backpack. "Oh... You think so?" He laughed nervously as he too inspected his backpack, carefully looking at each and every item inside. He looked like he saw his stuff for the first time, as Kana had told him, there's a snake inside his backpack. "I guess you're right, it's quite packed," he said with a mundane voice as he closed the zipper of his backpack. Then he swung it onto his back in one smooth motion. "But it's only my equipment, I'm currently on my way to a con, and just got my camera, tripod, a rope for stabilization, and a bit of other stuff in there." He took a short break, his head moving from left to right and back, seemingly inspecting the deserted neighbourhood, his gaze wandering over the empty windows of the surrounding houses before it landed back on Kana.
"Anyways, I should get going now, I don't want to miss out on all the cute cosplays." Hakuri had already walked past Kana before she could get the chance to find words to muster up a response.
Who does he think he is… Scaring me like that? I almost ran away; that would've been totally embarrassing.
'Former popular child prodigy Kana Arima runs away from her fans."... I was already able to see the small entry I'd get in some newspaper nobody ever heard of...
Kana gently shook her head as she too continued on her way down the road, as the back door of a parked car sprang open. Kana didn't even have enough time to react before a man jumped out and pressed a cold piece of fabric over her mouth. She tried to scream and fight against him, but her voice was too muffled by the cloth to be heard by anyone, and the guy is far too strong for her small body to do any damage to his. Kana's world started to spin as she was pulled into the car, her eyes falling closed as the man tied her up and got into the driver's seat, driving off without leaving behind any trace of what had just gone down.
26th of December, 1 pm, Gotanda Taishi's house
Aqua had the ringing phone snatched up in his hand before Ruby even had the chance to reach for it herself. T
his is my chance to apologize to her and explain the situation. I can perhaps explain that this is just a misunderstanding… That I did not avoid her show intentionally to spend the night with Akane.
"Kana I-" He said as he accepted the call. Yet something felt off, like an ominous feeling rushing down his spine, which radiated off the eerie silence on the other end of the line.
"You are not the one I have tried to call." A familiar male voice came through the speakers of Ruby's phone. "Aqua. How about you hand this phone over to Ruby now? In case you do not comply. I think I will have to use my knife to give this red haired brat a little makeover."
The voice on the other end of the speaker chuckled gently while Aqua could clearly hear faint whimpering in the background of the call. "You know? The kind of makeover that would ruin her dreams, make it so really not a single producer would want her for their movie."
Aqua turned a bit, and his eyes searched for Ruby's. Her eyes, which were initially filled with anticipation, changed slightly as she noticed Aqua's 1000-yard stare.
Ruby reached her hand out to grab the phone from Aqua's grasp. But gravity was faster, the phone fell out of Aqua's hand, towards the ground, and landed with a quiet thud. Upon impact with it, the screen cracked on one of the corners.
"What is wrong with you," Ruby frowned while she bowed down to pick her damaged phone up, shooting Aqua an annoyed glance. A hint of sadness crossed her face as she looked at her screen, then she hit the speaker button.
Aqua's physical body remained upright in the bright room, yet his eyes signaled that his mind had gone on a spiritual journey.
This can not be happening right now… I must be hallucinating… No. I'm dreaming. That has to be it, this is all a bad dream… Kana is safe and sound… She just has to be.
He can not get away with this… He will not get away with this. All of this is my fault. I let him live when I had the chance to kill him.
Again… Again, again, again, and again.
Again, just like I did the first time. Why did I listen to Akane… Why did I make the same mistake all over again?
"Ruby? Is that you? Come on say something, my dear daughter." Kamiki said in a sweet voice.
The annoyance on Ruby's face faded and was replaced by a similar expression to Aqua's, though not as bad. "I am not your daughter." This was reflected by her voice; far more determined and strong than Aqua's.
"Ahh, perfect." Kamiki replied, voice still full of warmth.
"You are there, but the connection… It is a bit weak. Don't you think so too? Why don't you come over to my penthouse, where we can talk like grown-ups? Oh, and don't forget to bring Aqua too." His voice was like an adult who explains to a kid that stealing is bad.
The call stayed quiet for a bit before they could hear another voice. It was Kana's, her voice confident, maybe a bit too much so. "Please... don't come, Ruby. I can take this. He would just kill you."
Both Aqua and Ruby were able to hear something; neither of them was able to put a finger on what it was, on the other end of the line.
"Oh, is that so?" Kamiki asked, his voice a bit quieter, more distant than before.
Both Ruby and Aqua stood frozen in place, Ruby's cracked phone on the desk next to them; they could do nothing but listen. "I bet if I would start with my little makeover, Ruby would be here in no time... Or maybe I will decide to rape you… It would be nothing personal of course… So Ruby, when can I expect you?"
"Y-You disgusting bastard," Kana's confident voice cracked enough for Ruby's body to physically ache, "Y-You wouldn't do that."
"If you touch her, I will make sure you lose everything," Aqua, whose body was boiling with all kinds of pent-up sensations and emotions, ranging from rage to disgust to fear to sadness, all just to finally end up in the same stew, a big pot of self-loathing boiling deep within him, said. "I will make sure you lose your face before I will slowly torture you to death."
The call fell quiet for a moment; the only sounds that came through the speaker were Kana's short breaths and her suppressed whimpering. Then Kamiki spoke once more. "Oh, I'm sure you will. Anyway, back to the topic, you have until 3:30 pm, Ruby. If you are not here by then, I will start. You are also invited to join Aqua."
The line was dead again long before Aqua or Ruby could find an appropriate response.
This is not good, not at all. It is very bad even… If I don't go, then he will hurt Kana, but if I go, then I will be the one in danger… I don't know what to do… I'm scared.
No.
None of this matters. Kana doesn't deserve any of this… she is my friend… my best friend. And she is only there because he wants me. The only reason she even became an Idol in the first place was my fault.
I will fix this. It is not my fault how things turned out, but if I just sat here and did nothing, it would be.
But would Onii-chan even let me go? The Sensei I know would jump to Kana's rescue in no time… But Aqua? He acts so strangely. Is he even still the same person I once knew?
A quiet gasp escaped Ruby's lips as she glanced over at Aqua. He looked more distraught than ever before, his eyes bloodshot and even a hint of gray forming deep within his aquamarine colored eyes.
His eyes… This isn't him… It's just not… This is not the same Sensei I once knew.