Stay Home!!!!

The first sight Kana saw was a white ceiling top with which, at the corner of her eyes, was a turned off light tube attached to the ceiling.

She slowly got up, yawned and swept a glance at the time on the digital alarm. She sighed and thought about something that was strange.

She exited from her not so clean room and looked at the two doors. Kana first opened the door to her older sister's, Akane's room.

And to subside her doubts, she saw that a middle-aged woman was in a weird sleeping position. Her snoring confirmed that she was having a good sleep.

She was almost rendered naked by the way her pyjama was creased, revealing her bare body.

Kana guessed that this atrocity happened because Akane moved frantically in her sleep.

*Sigh*

Kana approached the bed while minding the small things that were just laying on the floor.

The snoring noise became louder so Kana put her two fingers up into Akane's nose.

"...?"

Moments after, Akane was finding it difficult to breathe.

"Gah!"

She suddenly got up and tried to grasp as much air as possible. She panted heavily while her eyes were wide open.

Akane veered her head to the person responsible and shouted.

"What are you doing Haru-!?! .... Kana?......Huh?..."

Akane's confused stare met with Kana's indifferent face. She had the same doubt as Kana had.

".....Where is Harue?"

Kana nonchalantly replied to her older sister's worried tone.

"Maybe in his room."

Akane got up and walked faster than usual. Kana followed behind her casually and reached Harue's room.

Akane opened the door and to her relief, Harue was on his bed.

Akane compared Harue's present state similar to a baby that has finally got a long sleep it wanted.

Kana followed behind Akane as Akane approached Harue with caution. She got a good look at his younger brother's cute face before making a decision.

She beckoned Kana to exit this room and went downstairs. Akane declared.

"Let's not make him go to school today."

"Are you sure that he will accept that? He is pretty serious about attending school. A week was wasted and now you want to make him waste one more day? He is definitely not going to be happy."

"It is for his own well-being! Now tell me. His studies or his health? Which one is important?"

Kana, annoyed by Akane's excessive worries, accepted her decision.

"I guess you are right."

Akane retracted her oozing concern. She was more composed and made Kana feel more at ease.

"We just have to endure one more day. It's not a big deal, right?"

"I hope that I can say yes. Especially with you messing up breakfast."

"Geh!"

"Oh well. Like you said, just one more day."

"Yup."

"Just one more day without Nee-chan." Kana softly muttered as she turned around and did not let Akane hear her.

"How do you plan on persuading him? It seems like by the time Nee-chan would wake up, you would already be gone to work."

Kana indeed had a good point which Akane did not falter from. She smirked idiotically and stated as if she was the coolest woman ever.

"Leave it to my smart mind."

*Sigh*

Kana herself did not know how much she sighed today but at this moment, she definitely thought that this particular sigh would be easy to remember since she retained the stupid cause of it.

.......

The first emotion that Harue experienced when he opened his eyes tardily, was terror. Then it was confusion led by a comprehended sigh.

"This woman..."

Since Harue slept on his back, he was able to see what was on his ceiling.

There was a piece of paper and written on it was a single phrase that was clearly conveyed to Harue.

'STAY HOME!!'

The way it was written was what terrified Harue. It screamed out the persistence of Akane. Harue, according to his knowledge, knew that Kana would not do something like this.

So he quickly assumed that Akane was responsible for this. But he wondered why she was telling him to not go to school.

Ignoring that paper, he fully got up and looked at the time.

Harue was surprised.

Not only he woke up way past his usual time, but there was also another piece of paper beside the digital clock.

It read: 'YOU NEED A BREAK!! STAY HOME!!"

"What the hell...?"

He again tried to ignore it but when he was just about to leave his room to take a shower, his door was another surprise to him.

Yet another piece of paper was stuck and it read: 'IT IS FOR YOUR OWN GOOD!! STAY HOME!!!'.

Now Harue was just adapted to this stupidity. He opened the door and went to the shower.

Less to his surprise, next to the toilet seats, another piece of paper ordered for him to stay home. On the fridge, the order became more relentless. This was enough for Harue.

He submitted to Akane's adamant nature. This was the same as always. At that time, when Harue did not want to be admitted in the hospital, Akane's persistent determination made him stay in the hospital.

This time too, he lost to her.

He couldn't help it. Since Akane stayed adamant on it, he had to reluctantly obey.

He restrained having the thoughts of going to school and proceeded to cook for himself.

After eating breakfast, he wanted to catch some fresh air so he decided to go outside to his small yard. But before exiting his house, the door had an imposing aura.

Another final piece of paper that made Harue laugh softly.

'IF YOU ARE OPENING THIS DOOR WITH THE INTENT OF GOING TO SCHOOL, I WILL DISOWN YOU!!'

That was written with anger but it had a reverse effect on Harue. He guessed that it was fine to open the door since he had another intention to do so.

The sunlight and wind bestowed on Harue which was fulfilling for him. It was right to take this small break.

Suddenly he heard a small argument next door. A mature female's voice and a small boy's voice.

"Be careful now! It's your problem if you get hurt!"

"Oh please Mom!!"

"That's what you get for waking up late!!"

"I get it Mom!!"

Harue's next-door neighbour, Miyauchi, who was now a 14-year-old boy, rushed out of the door and dashed in the direction of his school.

His mother stood outside and glanced in Miyauchi's figure before it slowly disappeared from her sight. She turned around only to be met with Harue's cute visage.

"Ara? Harue-kun, good morning."

"Good morning, Arata-san." Harue's politeness possessed his tone.

"How is your head? I heard you were involved in a pretty dangerous situation."

Mrs Arata was blatantly concerned about Harue's health but Harue negated her worries by reassuring her.

"Thank you for your concern. I am feeling better now."

"Is that so? I'm really glad then. I was worried since you were admitted to the hospital for a week straight."

"It was not that serious. The doctors wanted to make sure that no complications would arouse suddenly."

"It was the right move. And I see that today too you decided to rest one more day."

To that, Harue awkwardly replied.

"...This was not my original intention, but....."

"But?"

"If I did not rest one more day, then my Nee-chan will be furious at me."

Harue wryly smiled as Mrs Arata stared at him and also chuckled at his reason.

"That's nice. Maybe I should have given my son an older sibling. It's not too late if I give him a younger sibling. What do you think, Harue-kun?"

"Arata-san, why are you discussing this matter with me?" Harue was flustered about the topic which made Mrs Arata laugh wholeheartedly.

This was the friendly relationship between the two neighbours. They interact pleasantly and joked around as if they are good friends.

In times of needs, the two families extend their hands to each other, giving them an option of aid. Those two were ideal neighbours.

The two individuals chatted among themselves minutes before parting their ways in their house. Harue who had a subtle grin fully accepted Akane's decision now.

He went to the kitchen and started cleaning it up. This was going to be a break for Harue so he decided to make full use of it.

.........

"What do you mean it's not her!!?"

"I mean that it is NOT her!!!"

"How!?!"

"It was her look-a-like!!"

"Look-a-like!?! What the fuck!?! How am I supposed to know that then!?!"

"It was your job and you fully fluffed it!!"

"Well I am fucking SORRY that I am not fucking OMNISCIENT!! What do you want me to do?!?! Take God's place?!!?"

"You would have failed it anyway!!"

"What?!?"

"Yeah! Use your fucking head!! How is a criminal on the run going to be in the supermarket!?!? It is logically stupid!!"

"Maybe she just changed her appearance and went to buy some necessities!! I don't fucking know!! I searched for who you described so I did!!"

"You clearly did not!!!

"Then I think that it is your fucking fault for giving me false information!!"

"Passing over the blame, is it!?! Fan-fucking-tastic, you stupid blond hair dipshit!!!

"Now listen here you idiotic bastard!! My blonde hair is worth billions so don't you dare insult it you fucking hypocrite fox mask bastard!!!"

"That's what you are getting angry at!?!? For god's sake, I wonder why I was getting excited when I heard you got a target!"

"...."

"...."

The two individuals that fought vigorously on the phone, calmed themselves down. They panted, simply tired from all their shouting and insulting.

They replenished and Yemon started to calmly review the situation.

"Shit. I wasted one day searching the other target in Shizuoka."

"Well it is not that serious."

".....Why do you think that it is not that serious? I'm reaching my limits when I'm dealing with your easy-going behaviour."

Yemon's slight furious tone did not trigger Hoga to either get frightened or get angry.

He was composed.

"You are in Nagoya, right?"

"....So what?"

It sounded as if Hoga has already forgotten the argument between them and proceeded to divert the topic.

"How long does it take for you to reach Osaka?"

"....If I haul ass, then 2 hours." Yemon reluctantly answered with a tinge of curiosity.

"That's good. Then go there. Honestly, I thought I could keep it as a surprise if you would have recruited the 'real' Lumen but, it can't be helped."

"What surprise?"

"Another target will show up today."

That caught Yemon by surprise. He did not fully recuperate the enthusiastic side of him capturing and persuading the targets, but he listened to Hoga.

He started the car and accelerated.

"While you were driving to get 'Lumen', I was always keeping an eye out for the victims."

"Victims?"

"Victims of the target in Osaka. You see, I was surveilling specific person of interest that our target would capture. And nothing is happening right now."

Yemon squinted his eyes. He was displeased but he did not rebuke Hoga this time.

"How can you be so sure that something will happen today itself." Yemon pressed for concrete answers.

"Because today is his or her day to kill."

Yemon caught on to what Hoga implied and coldly inquired.

"Who is it?"

Hoga simply answered with a slight interest in his tone.

"Gello..."

.......

"This time, don't screw this up. I'm really counting on you."

"Ok Boss."

Hoga concentrated on his monitors which displayed various areas which focused on a specific individual. Those said individuals looked to be middle schoolers, who are all boys.

His eyes darted to each small section of the screen to surveil the victims. The victims were the bait and Hoga is trying to catch the target codenamed Gello.

Hours have gone by and it reached till 3:30 p.m. Hoga's concentration did not dwindle as he did not care about how much time has passed.

"...."

He looked at a particular scene that aroused suspicion. As always, the screen displayed multiple middle school boys in which, one was unusual.

A middle schooler was stopped by an all-black figure which had a black mask, a black spectacle and a grey beanie. The figure wore a long black sleeved T-shirt and a long black jean which hid its complexion.

This was obviously strange and dangerous but what was stranger was that the boy grabbed the hands of a strange black figure happily.

Hoga's danger sense got him focused on this specific image. He followed them walked for some time.

They walked to a more desolate place and Hoga read the little boy's expression. He zoomed in and saw his worried face emerging slowly.

Moments after, the black figure took out a white cloth and pressed it against the boy's nose and mouth.

Hoga confirmed that it is the target.

He hurriedly called Yemon who picked up his phone quickly.

"I got him!! It's at........!!"