Hidden Secrets

Chapter 62

With lightness and unmistakable determination, Haruka descended the basement stairs in a few muted leaps. The diffuse light of the bulbs above her painted flickering shadows on the walls as she pushed open the heavy metal door of the basement storage. Today was New Year's Eve, but for Haruka, there was no time for celebrations. She was in a hurry and had no heightened interest in wasting her time down here, but she needed to find out what this mysterious deal was about.

With swift, determined steps, she crossed the long, narrow corridor and finally pushed open the door to the interrogation room. Her gaze immediately fell on Tellu, sitting on a chair, her hands and feet securely tied. Her head had fallen forward, and soft snoring filled the air. "At least Yaten managed to do this much in his condition," Haruka sarcastically praised him in her thoughts.

But Haruka was not here to judge Yaten and his methods. Her gaze swept across the room. Empty whiskey bottles adorned the table, and Yaten's jacket lay carelessly on the floor, with a notepad on top. The empty whiskey bottles on the table clinked softly as Haruka squatted down and inspected Yaten's notes. The first page contained valuable information, but as she looked further down, Yaten's handwriting seemed to spiral out of control. The letters blurred into a kind of hieroglyphic script that raised more questions than answers. But as she flipped the page, words simply failed her.

Meticulously noted questions covered this side of the paper as well, but each one was overshadowed by massive hangman puzzles. Haruka furrowed her brow in confusion and displeasure. Had Yaten really played a hangman game with her instead of demanding clear answers? A hint of anger flashed through her, and she ran her fingers over her eyebrows to control her emotions. This couldn't be serious!

In the next moment, Haruka stood up, her hand grabbed Tellu's hair, and she pulled the head back unceremoniously. "Ouch... What's this?" grumbled Tellu vigorously, blinking her eyes open. "Sorry, your dream prince from last night is still in a coma, and my time is limited. So gather your sober brain cells and answer me; the sooner you do, the sooner you'll be rid of me." Tellu groaned and tried to touch her head, but then she noticed her hand was tied again. "What do you want? The deal was clear, and I fulfilled it last night," muttered Tellu, looking at Haruka. "Very well, that brings us to the topic. What deal are we talking about here?" Haruka began her quest for answers. "I was supposed to tell Yaten what I know, and in return, he said he'd let me go after his conversation with Mimete... so why am I still tied up like a package? I told him everything he wanted to know."

Haruka rolled her eyes and held the notepad under Tellu's nose. "Maybe because you played Hangman instead of jotting down the answers?!" she asked ironically and louder than originally intended. In response, Tellu grimaced in pain. "Can you keep it down? My head is pounding like a whole train just went through... It's not my fault if he didn't jot everything down."

Haruka sighed; this made no sense. Neither Yaten nor Tellu were in a usable state. She turned away from the green-haired woman and tossed the notepad onto the table. A glance at the clock told her she had little time left if she wanted to be on time for her appointment at the harbor. "Answer Yaten's remaining questions when he regains consciousness, and then have him call me. I don't have time for this kindergarten now," Haruka said, heading towards the door. "Hey, you can't just leave me here like this! I'm thirsty, and besides, I need to use the bathroom!" Tellu shouted after her, but Haruka had no intention of turning back. Yaten could handle this mess on his own.

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Usagi had by now stored her own suitcases and Seiya's luggage in the closet. In line with the weather, she wore a light dress with sleeves. Seiya had some matters to discuss with Taiki and would contact Haruka, so Usagi had some time to let everything sink in. Her legs dangled from the bed where she lay stretched out. One hand rested on her still flat stomach, and she smiled knowingly, thinking about how Shingo would react when he found out he was going to be an uncle.