I'll need a vacuum.

55

I couldn't help but smile when I realized that I was in a relationship with the person I liked. Like, did I have to die for this to finally happen to me ? Life was a bit too harsh for my taste.. . Nanami shook my hand tightly, before providing some details to an amused Shoko.

"We decided it yesterday, and you're the first person to know, although we hadn't necessarily planned to communicate it today."

Shoko nodded, understanding.

"Would you rather keep it a secret?"

Again an exchange of glances, and a silent mutual understanding.

"No, not really, but we're not against discretion, if you know what I mean.."

Shoko sat back in her chair, still smiling.

" I'm happy for you two ! I saw you circling around the other blindly, and I just wanted to force your eyes open and push you into each other's arms. I'm happy for you Molly, even if I don't understand why you set your sights on him ! Why this annoying old grump ?"

Nanami frowned in annoyance as I burst out laughing.

" It suits me perfectly Shoko ! And to believe that he is the only one grumbling is wrong, I spend my time complaining and yet you don't tell me anything about it !?"

"Yes, it's true, you are meant for each other, indeed. Will you tell me how you declared yourselves, hm ?"

I avoided her inquisitive gaze, suddenly embarrassed by the memory of the locker room.

"Maybe later.."

Nanami cleared his throat,in order to close the subject and refocus on the meeting.

"Getting back to less pleasant things, I'm going to summarize what I discovered about your attacker, while you were still..."

" A dead body ?"

"Hm.. yeah, let's put it like that.. . So I criss-crossed the bars where the yakuza meet, hoping to find someone who recognized your "ex". Well, I was desperate and I had no leads, so I didn't go in for subtleties.."

My grimace illustrated the sarcasm in my voice:

"Yeah, it was a particularly discreet and delicate mission. You completely turned the bar around and beat the shit out of I don't know how many people."

Shoko hissed, impressed.

" I hadn't heard the whole story ! Nanami ! You show us new facets of your personality that I did not know you had !"

He scratched his head, trying to shake off the unease that had gripped him.

" I'm not proud of it, to be honest. But I felt so helpless and angry, I had to do something ! You died in front of me ! I had to, well, have to find your killer !"

He gazed into mine as he finished his sentence, and I saw his hurt and anger swirl behind his eyes. Something stirred in my stomach, and it took me a while to realize that I was also angry. I was furious to have been killed, furious to have made him suffer involuntarily by forcing him to see me die, furious not to know why I had been subjected to this when I had done nothing ! For goodness'sake ! Not knowing what I was being blamed for or why I was being chased and cursed made me want to scream in frustration !

" I also intend to find him, and not only to discuss. It will be more.. bloody."

I took a deep breath to force myself to stay calm, before continuing.

"In the end, did you find anything by going there or not ? Not even a single clue ? I know you didn't know who to look for, that's normal, but maybe you saw something that could put us on a track ?"