Chapter Twenty-Two: Ayumi's Final Resort

Third Person's View

"Argh! Why do all my plans can't be done as I thought it would be?!" Hayley shouted with anger as she goes near a chair and kicked it forcibly, making it slammed down the nearest wall and cracked loudly into pieces.

"Woah, chill, sis. You're a volcano again," Singani interject as he were just locked to her sister, back and forth as her sister does.

Hayley's fist clenched so tight and screamed like an uncontrollable peacock. "Why should I chill?! That woman is ruining it!"

Singani shrugged. "Must have been just someone blocked your plan when he finds out about it."

Hayley stopped on her tracks and turned back to her brother with a knitted eyebrow. "What did you say?" she asked and walked near her brother. Her hands slammed down on the arm of the chair as she looked with wide eyes to Singani.

"Woah, woah. Sis, no need to force me. I'm just tellinng you my hunch but I don't know who is it. You know me, hacker, but I did not still knew who's who in the party," Singani said coolly.

Hayley rolled her eyes and let Singani free. She turned her back on him and crossed her arms.

Her teeth is grittinnh as her jaw were clenched tight. Fist were clenching as the memory of the victim of her poisoned apple was struggling as his last breath came into an end. His faint scream was still fresh to her mind, making her unknowingly shiver with excitement inside.

It was not her mktive but why does it feel like so satisfying to watch someone dying?

It was not her hobby before. She was a good girl. But why does her head didn't want to make her a girl she wants to now?

Is it because of my Motive? She thought. Am I becoming a monster? No. I can't be. This was all that woman's fault. She has to pay for this.

~~~

"Come on, come on! Our last trip came suspended last time because Ran nee-chan got kidnapped!" Ayumi pouted as her fist clenched tight so cutely. Eyes were shimmering with determination of forcing them to agree.

"As you can see, there's no way we could done it right now because of Kudo-kun's condition,

Yoshida-san?" Haibara said with a hint of sarcasm on her voice. Her legs were crossed as she is sitting on the sofa on the right side of the room.

"Where will we go?" Shinichi asked as he felt the room became gloomy and Ayumi's eyes were glassy. He just feared that Ayumi might cry. She's so fragile like a glass.

Ayumi's eyes clearly became bright as her mouth wide agape in so much happiness. "In the Yokohama Marine Tower!"

"Wait. we're going there?" Haibara said, standing up frantically. "You know Kudo-kun can't--"

"The doctor said it's fine to go out for a while," Ran cut her off and give her a knowing glare. "Shinichi, do you want to?"

"Well, if it is fine, why not?" Shinichi said. His body was sitting down on his soft bed. Hands clasped together, eyes were letting curiosity, and body was stilled in silence as he waited for his girlfriend's reply.

"Well, it's decided then," Ayumi replied, clapping her hands numerous times.

All of them talked about it with a smile, but Haibara still wasn't satisfied by the reply. It still lingers on her mind the next day they got in the Shinagawa Station as planned.

Shinichi was in a wheelchair assisted by his girlfriend while the others were standing with their cute clothes. Mostly of the boys wear shorts and shirts while girls wear pants or skirts with sleeveless on top. Shinichi was the only one wearing a pants among the boys.

Tickets were given to Ayumi and waved it to Ran and others. "I got the tickets," she said. "We're going to take the train to Yokohama right away."

They all nodded their head and waited for the train to come. But Haibara's body is still shaking that as if her body was being controlled by some kind of vibrator. Her hands were fidgeting. Her legs were like wet noodles.

The fear was still there. A struck of dark convulsion is going around them. The hair all over her body stood as she felt the chillness of it. Her shaking eyes were staring at the empty trails of the station and she could only here the laughter of the people she grouped in.

"Haibara?" Her body jumped in surprised and looked to her side. She saw Mitsuhiko's eyebrows knitted as he looks at her with a glint of curiosity in his eyes. "Are you... okay?"

That question strucked her hard. Her heart was beating so fast. Her mouth opened but she immediately closed it when she could not say anything to him. She did not know how to reply.

Am I fine? She asked to herself. She knew to herself what the answer to his simple question is but she can't seem to figure out how she could reply normally so she just nodded in response and gave him a force smile.

She did not know what is going on with her. She never felt so anxious all her life.

What is this feeling? She asked herself. Her rmind is being clouded by some unholy vibe. This doesn't seem to be a good idea. Going out with our guards down.

"You know, I've been to Yokohama many times already," Ayumi told them, making Haibara snapped her head to her. "I've been to many famous tourist spots in there so I think I should give you a tour when we get there."

"Ha-ha. Never thought a girl like you would be our tourist guide for today," Mitsuhiko mocked with sarcasm on her voice.

Ayumi pouted but quickly subsided. She cleared her throat. "We're going to the second famous place to Yokohama after we get to the destination we decided to go. After that, we eat, then rest for the day."

"This is great," Ran commented with a smile as she looked at Shinichi who's listening to Ayumi's stories. "Right, Shinichi?"

"Yeah..." Shinichi muttered but Haibara could feel his stare right through her skull or even inside her head. His eyebrows furrowed as he stared much more to Haibara, that made the latter so much more insecure.

Haibara sighed in relief when she felt free to Shinichi's gaze. She saw Shinichi smiled back at Ran and nodded.

They waited for the train to come and when it came, they got in and patiently sitting to the train as it moved forward towards their destination with bare guard of what's going to come.

~~~

As the train went flashing up to the midst of the high trails, the amazing sight of the huge river with lots of tall buildings and boats came in sight. It was the Minato Mirai 21, the number one most famous tourist spots in Yokohama

"Minatomirai is a futuristic waterfront with a high-rise observation deck and stylish boutiques at Yokohama Landmark Tower and Plaza," Ayumi stated as they gaze upon the beautiful scenery through the glass window of the train. "Families also take in the skyline from the Cosmo Clock 21 Ferris wheel or tour the 1930s sailing ship Nippon Maru. Mitsubishi Industrial Museum has dynamic exhibits of rockets and submarines, while Rinko Park hosts summer concerts. Waterside promenades host upscale bars and eateries."

"You have a lot of knowledge," Genta commented as his mouth wide opened to the beautiful sight of the Minato Mirai 21.

The train came into stop after the 48-minute trip to downtown. The door closed as the got out of the train. Loud sounds of people tapping their shoes on the floor and the excitemed voices and squeals came into noise.

First, they searched a nearest restaurant for them to eat. They're tired on the trip even though it's just forty-eight-minute ride. They found one. It was just a few minutes walk. They ordered foods and ate before coming to their original destination.

"Welcome to Yokohama Marine Tower," Ayumi said, stopping on her tracks and looking back to her friends and put her arms up to the air. "Yokohama Marine Tower is a 106 metres (348 feet) high with an at a height of 100 metres. It is billed "the tallest lighthouse in the world", although this depends on what lighthouses are considered. In clear conditions, visitors can see Mount Fuji from the 100-metre high observation deck."

"You can see Mt. Fuji up there?!" Mitsuhiko's eyes widened in surprised as he bluntly pointed the top of the tower.

Ayumi nodded. "So, let's go?"

"Wait, I think Shinichi could not still get up there," Ran said, hesitant on her voice, "He's in his wheelchair. How could he--"

"There's an elevator, Ran nee-chan. we could bring him there instantly."

"But what if--"

"Ran nee-chan, I've tried this a couple of times already and it's safe. Can you trust me?" Ayumi asked Ran, trying to make her understand the situation was really now ongoing.

Ran sighed and nodded even though she's still hesitant.

They got in the elevator and it was too fast that everybody's head swirled to the max, except for Ayumi and Shinichi whom recovered in the shock.

They're on the top in a few minutes and the much more beautiful sight came into view. As what Ayumi stated, they saw Mt. Fuji far from the distance they're in. People and cars looked ants and toys below. Buildings were like dollhouses.

"The scenery was very beautiful," Ran stated, forgetting the fear she had for Shinichi as she ran towards one side with Shinichi and pointed the things that amazed her. "Look, Shinichi. Pretty cool, isn't it?"

Shinichi nodded with a smile. Ran's happiness was now his happiness. Seeing her smile is his only fast therapy. He liked the fact her fear before was long gone as she was too focused on the places she saw on top of the tower.

After the satisfying scenery at the top of Yokohama Marine Tower, they went to their next destination: Sanekeien Gardens.

They wear kimonos, make sushi, walk through the antique-looking bridge with the beautiful scenery of the garden, and simple talks with everybody they bumped into.

As the mood came lighter and lighter, Haibara's intuition in her chest just keeps on pumping abnormally. Her thoughts came wild as her intuition increases.

She stared at the people surrounding her and suddenly thought about the conversation she had to Hayley.

The threat of Hayley's ate her all out as their trip continued. They got into the beautiful gardens of the place but there's an eerie feeling she feels under those bushes and trimmed trees.

"Sankei-en or Three Creeks Garden is a traditional Japanese-style garden that opened in 1906. Sankei-en was designed and built by Tomitaro Hara, known by the pseudonym Sankei Hara, who was a silk trader," Ayumi explained as they walked through the narrow bridge that almost two people only would fit in. "Almost all of its buildings are historically significant structures bought by Hara himself in locations all over the country, among them are Tokyo, Kyoto, Kamakura, Gifu Prefecture, and Wakayama Prefecture. Ten have been declared Important Cultural Property, and three more are Tangible Cultural Properties of Japan designated by the City of Yokohama. Badly damaged during World War II, the garden was donated in 1953 to the City of Yokohama, which entrusted it to the Sankeien Hoshōkai Foundation or Sankeien Hoshōkai. Sankei-en was then restored almost to its pre-war condition.

"Sankei-en has a total surface of 175 thousand square meters and features ponds, streams, and undulating paths designed by Sankei Hara himself, plus many historic buildings, such as Tōmyō-ji former three-story pagoda, originally constructed in Kyoto in 1457 and relocated in 1914, and the Former Yanohara House, originally the private residence of the Yanohara family."

As the explanation continued while they were walking as Ayumi their tourist guide, they got into the deep, peaceful part of the garden. Haibara's intuition came into place again as her imagination strucked her badly. Making her legs like wet noodles, and eyes were shaking in uneasiness, she followed her friends when they stopped in front of a house.

All of them were smiling but Haibara still can't deny the fact her stomach is turning up so badly, but she's not sick. She don't know why she's that way.

~~~

Stomach churned upwards, beads of sweats rolled down her forehead, and uncontrollable eyes were poking out as they got in the train back to their hometown.

Haibara's feeling was still intact to her as the train slowly drove down the midst of the dark tunnel.

Her fear was stil in there. She couldn't stop shaking even though she wants to stop. It seems pretty wrong of her to be that way in their joyful condition right now.

All her friends were talking about thw food trips they eat and all the destinations they went while Haibara was sitting on the corner, forcing a smile and give them small replies.

Her hands were fidgeting. She scooted to the side so that everybody can't notice she's a cat hiding in the dark.

As the train came into another dark tunnel, Haibara's eyes popped out as her fear increased.

Suddenly, two people came in sight wearing black clothing with ties and tinted glasses while wearing a smirk to their lips.

She knew it very well who came inside the train with them and it's danger. A literal danger with figure exposure to the public but unnoticeable.

Her eyes widened even more as she saw one of the men pulled a gun out of his back. It has a silencer and his eyes were staring at her.

His finger was on line, ready to shoot any second.

Haibara's eyes shut closed as she lets out a hard breath. She heard the silencer let a small noise. Her clenched fist tight as she waited for her death to come.

But she didn't.

Her eyes fluttered open with curiosity as she didn't felt anything strucked her on her body.

"Ayumi!!!"

It was too late. Haibara's eyes slowly widened as she saw Ayumi's body slowly falling down the train's floor and Mitsuhiko running towards her.

"Hey, hang in there, Ayumi!" Mitsuhiko said as his arms caught Ayumi on time.

Ayumi's eyes were now blank. Arms were on her sides and a blood lined up down on the side of her lips.

"G-Gom-me, T-Tsubaraya-k-kun," Ayumi said, forcing herself to talk. Haibara couldn't find words to speak as she stared at the small hole in Ayumi's clothes drenching in blood. "P-Protect... R-Ran n-nee c-chan a-and A--i-chan..." Her eyelids were half-closed, barely talking. "S-Sayou...na...ra..."

A lone tear fell down Haibara's eyes as she saw Ayumi's hand fell down on the side of her body.

She felt humiliated and as she was driven herself with pain, she herself could not stop to cry and scream.