After it was done, Aqua got up from the plastic tarp, the shiny knife put to rest a few centimeters next to Kamiki's head.
"It is done," Aqua mumbled once he had gotten close enough for Akane to hear. "We can now load him up."
"You're doing great." Akane smiled. Her forehead looked like it had been polished from the sweat which had begun to form on it. "And… Uhm…. Thanks."
She stopped packing and helped Aqua load the remains of Hikaru Kamiki into the trash bags. They put him in 2 separate bags, one for his arms and legs and the other for his torso and head. They had one final look inside before they tied a temporary knot and placed Kamiki's remains down with the rest of the trash.
"It is time to text Ichigo. I will tell him to bring a van and two sets of clothing. I just hope he did not change his mind all of a sudden." Aqua said as he swiftly pulled off his medical gloves; a slight feeling of nostalgia hit him as he did.
Akane handed her phone to Aqua once again. His stomach growled with mixed emotions as he saw her lockscreen again; it was still the same from back then, when a picture of the two of them together. He shook his head ever so slightly, not enough for anybody to even notice, as he opened the messenger app. He knew that there could be a slight risk in handling something like this over messages, but then again, they had no other option.
"Okay, I have sent it," Aqua said as he held Akane's phone out for her to claim. "Let's clean up a bit more, we still have a lot to do."
He grabbed a new set of gloves out of the cupboard and started washing the by now half-dried blood off the plastic tarp while he ensured that none of it would spill onto the floor before discarding the rest of the tarp. Then they began to put Kamiki's decorations back in place. Aqua arranged vases on desks and inside display cases; hung paintings in places that felt right to him, and carefully pushed the furniture back into place. "Now, where do you go?" he murmured as he looked at the face of some lady trapped inside a painting; it looked to be old, probably at least 300 years.
His knowledge about art was basic at the very best; he knew the Mona Lisa and The Starry Night, but that was about it. This hindered his progress vastly; nothing ever looked right, no matter how he placed and turned it. Eventually, though, he had found a spot he was at least semi-happy with for everything, even the strange green animal keychain that looked completely out of place.
"Aqua!" Akane suddenly shouted across the room while holding her phone up and pointing to it with her other hand. "Your Friend is here… I told him he should bring the spare clothes up here." Aqua nodded and gave Akane two thumbs up before he turned and left the penthouse. He now stood on the outside walkway with the vast concrete maze being Tokyo beneath him.
Tokyo...
I don't think I have looked at it like this in probably forever. Now that I am done, I can… I can… What actually is now that I am done? Should I just act like nothing ever happened, like the last 15 years never happened? Am I even able to do that?
Aqua leaned over the railing and gazed down at the people who were walking below. He was higher than even most other skyscrapers around him, which made for a great few, even, perhaps especially, after sunset. The strong winds only worried him a bit as his hair was blown into his eyes.
I wonder what it would be like… Would I just wake up in the morning, do my thing during the day, and go back to sleep in the evening…
The strong winds made the skin on Aqua's face, especially his lips, dry out rapidly. Everyone walking below was so small, so insignificant; yet they all looked like they were in such a hurry. But why? Why was wherever they headed so significant to them?
But what should I do once I go back to my ordinary life, exactly? Would I continue to act… Probably not, I only did that because it was a way to make ends meet… I could perhaps study to be a doctor again… No, certainly not after I used my knowledge to kill and dismember somebody.
At least 99%, maybe more, of the people beneath won't achieve true happiness, if it even exists, through getting onto the next train. But why do they keep walking then? Will the next promotion, the bigger house, the expensive car, really make them look back once they're old and say that they were happy?
Maybe I can now finally be carefree, spend some time with all of them, just do what any normal person does… But why should I? Everybody was far better off before they met me, I only used them time after time again. Why should I be allowed to continue being around them when, even now, all I cause them is pain?
Why do they keep running?
Kamiki is dead. Ai is dead. Ruby is safe. Kana is safe. Akane is safe. Miyako is safe. Being a doctor is no more. Being an actor is no more.
What is my purpose?
"Hey the-"
Aqua whipped around as he felt a hand on his shoulder and a voice next to his ear. His fist was about to connect with the face of whoever snuck up to him; then he paused mid-air.
"You started me," he muttered as he lowered his fist.
Ichigo, who didn't even flinch, looked nervously around. He knew nobody else was there, but that didn't ease his mind one bit. "You didn't react when I called out to you… Just take these already, alright?" he said as he held his bag out.
"I'll be waiting in my car, don't take too long, I don't want to be seen around here," Ichigo said as he just placed the clothes down in front of Aqua, since he didn't make any attempt to grab them from him.
Aqua finally picked the bag up when Ichigo had already taken a few steps back towards the elevator.
"You look horrible Aqua..." Ichigo murmured as his pitiful eyes looked up and down on Aqua's body. He turned without saying another word and headed straight for the elevator.
Aqua stood motionless for a few moments after the door of the elevator had already closed, then he turned and re-entered the penthouse. He hadn't really noticed it before, but now that his entire body was basically frozen into a solid cube of ice, Kamiki's penthouse gave off a calming warmth, even though no radiators were in sight.
Akane was still rearranging Kamiki's belongings as Aqua walked back into the scene of the crime. The scent of blood had faded ever so slightly, yet it was still very present even now.
"Akane, come here. You can change here, I am going to step out. Just make sure to toss your old clothes away and don't let them touch the floor," Aqua said as he unpacked the clothes: two black hoodies, two pairs of jeans, two pairs of black sneakers, and two black T-shirts. He hands one set to Akane before stepping out of the room, not closing the door just yet.
"I guess I should've specified the sizes, I hope the clothes aren't too big," he added as he unfolded one of the hoodies and saw that it was way too baggy for Akane.
Akane held the oversized hoodie to her torso. "Do you know where he got these from perchance?" she asked with a sheepish grin on her face.
Aqua rolled his eyes. "Why would that be of concern to you?"
"You know…" Akane started to mumble before she trailed off as a faint blush spread across her cheeks, which made her look down at the floor.
"They certainly ain't mine, you weirdo," Aqua replied before shutting the door, not giving Akane the chance to respond.
Aqua quickly stripped his old clothes off until only his underwear remained. This was easier said than done, since he had to make sure that none of his clothes would leave evidence behind on the floor, but eventually he managed.
"May I come in?" he asked as he knocked against the hardwood of the door that connected the hallway to the living room.
"Sure…" Akane said with a muffled voice. Aqua was just about to push the door open when she added, "I'm just not fully dressed yet."
He let out a short sigh as he let go of the handle once again and leaned against the wall next to the door.
The ticking of the grandfather clock in the hallway had just managed to soothe Aqua's mind enough for him to get kind of sleepy. Then the door swung open with a force that made it creak, eliminating every ounce of sleepiness that was on Aqua's mind in an instant.
"You are no fun at all," Akane murmured. "And I am not a 'weirdo' either," she added, as she shot a mean look at Aqua, which relaxed into a sweet smile after a few seconds.
Together, they tossed their old clothes into the trash bag. Before they tied the knot, they looked around one more time to make sure they hadn't missed anything major. When they couldn't find anything, they tied the knot and started to grab the bags. Aqua carried four; Akane three.
"What should we do if the building has CCTV?" Aqua suddenly asked as soon as he swung the bag over his shoulder.
"You think about this now? Like three or four hours after we got here?" Akane said with a bit of tease in her voice. "Don't worry about it, I already took care of them when I went here earlier. It wasn't easy, though, so I think a little praise wouldn't hurt."
They stepped out of the penthouse and into the elevator. The ride down to the base of the complex was dead silent; both were way too focused on their respective heavy loads to even think about initiating a conversation. Both of them peeked their heads out of the doors as the elevator reached the ground floor. When they saw that the coast was clear, they swiftly made their way to the back of the building where a black van waited. The trunk was already open. Aqua loaded his bags first, then helped Akane with hers. After the load was secured and Aqua shut the trunk as quietly as he could, he got into the passenger seat.
Instead of getting in, Akane walked up to his door and signaled for him to roll his window down. "I'll head back up and make sure we didn't leave anything like hair behind. I'll text you later," she said as she leaned into the car.
"Alright, just take care of yourself, and don't stay too long, we don't know what kind of story Ruby came up with or when someone will notice Kamiki's disappearance. We will talk later."
Akane silently looked at Aqua's face for a few more seconds before she quickly threw her head back and pushed herself away from the car; her hair gracefully flying through the air as she did.
...
Back in the penthouse, Akane got back to work. She used a UV light to go over the entire penthouse once more. She scanned for any remaining hair or fingerprints they had overlooked before, while carefully cleaning up the remaining evidence.
Something about Aqua is weird… Why does he think he doesn't deserve to live?
Sure,
He might be manipulative and obsessed, and he can definitely be an asshole, but that doesn't mean he deserves death. Why can't he see it?
I would be dead if it weren't for him, and he also saved Kana when she was in trouble. And then there's the way he protects Ruby. He always puts his friends first; there's just no way Aqua is a bad human.
But what is it then… Is it because of Ai? I mean, he saw his mother die at a young age. No, not just that, she was murdered in front of his eyes. This could mess anybody up. But the way he acts, it's not like a son grieving his mother; it's more like survivor's guilt.
But why?
I mean, I've heard of cases where children develop survivor's guilt later on in their lives. But to such an extent? He lets it control his life. Ruby was there too, and she doesn't act like this
With a final sounding thud, she shut the penthouse front door behind her. She had gone over every minor detail at least thrice by now; if something's left, then it was just meant to be that way at this point. She didn't turn back once as she walked away from the massive building. The best for her would be to forget today had happened, and looking back at the building wouldn't help that process. The path back home was an unfamiliar one. She had obviously been to Shibuya plenty of times before, but most of the time further up north, and definitely not at night.
I have to be missing something. Bu- …
Her thoughts had her mind in a chokehold ever since Aqua had left her behind. They never stopped for even a moment, never until now.
If Kamiki is dead... and all of us are safe… Does Aqua believe he isn't needed anymore?