Standing in the way

"What happened yesterday? What do you mean you don't know where she is!" Chiho exclaimed.

The last wave of students going home turned their heads towards the direction of the yell.

Hikaru acted taken aback.

"Yesterday, she confessed her feelings to me… I tried to tell her… that I couldn't as politely as I could… but she kept screaming at me… then she ran off."

"No. That isn't like her." She shook her head.

"Why don't you ask her yourself?"

"Because she's missing!"

"Missing? What do you mean?"

Chiho paused for a while until she finally answered.

"I tried calling her last night, but no one picked up."

"Then-"

"Then her parents called me and said she hasn't come home. They're freaking out and I am too."

"…"

"Maybe she's been hanging out somewhere and will come home once she feels better."

"I know her well. Even if she were heartbroken, she would never act the way you said, and she wouldn't run off like a loser in front of you."

"People under stress can-"

"No. I'm her best friend so I know her better than you do."

"Calm down. I understand that you're her best friend and that – "

"I said no!"

Students gathered around the pair and watched with interest. Some were particularly annoyed by the manner Chiho had used to talk to him.

'Sigh, I made a mistake' Hikaru thought. It was always a mistake to tell someone who's angry to calm down, especially a girl. He paused for a moment to give her time to cool down a little before he talked.

"I can't make you believe me, but I can only tell you my accounts of what happened, and the answer won't be different. So, there's no point in continuing this conversation."

"There is a point." She said stubbornly and with conviction. Hikaru raised an eyebrow.

"Do you know where her phone is?"

The phone was inside of him and he didn't know if he could take it out intact. So, it's best to deny it. He had erased all traces of the crime scene, so he wasn't worried. There was nothing she could do to him so there was no need to win this argument. Especially when the parasites' plans might kill everyone here.

"No?"

Chiho squinted her eyes in suspicion then she had a triumphant smile like she had caught a killer.

"Aimi and I shared an app that lets us track our phone's location in case it ever got stolen or one of us went missing. Late at night, I checked the app and it showed me it was in a house. Your house. So, if you don't know where her phone is, then why was it in your house?"

"I told you. I don't know where it is or why it was at my house."

"Why you!"

"Ara, ara. Isn't your attitude a bit too much?" One of the students in the crowd said out in the open.

"What!" Chiho turned and shot back.

Some students made way for a few people to enter the front. The girl leading the way was shrewd and competent in her studies. Her nerdy look was disguising a seductive and flirtatious behaviour. Hikaru recognised Fumiye Ine, she was the second highest scorer in the year level. First place being himself. She had also confessed to him and of course was rejected. Fumiye gently gyrated her hips as she walked enchanting onlookers.

"Why would he go out of his way to take Aimi? There's nothing special about her and Hikaru could have any girl he wants. Also, did Aimi not go to confess her feelings to him? It's clear that Hikaru doesn't have anything to do with Aimi except for rejecting her. Isn't it obvious that you're just taking it out on him?"

"Then, what about the fact that Aimi's phone location was at his house?" Chiho retorted

"The answer would come easy if you didn't jump to conclusions. Maybe she dropped it or threw it away before she ran off."

"Like I said, if you've been best friends with her since childhood, you'd know there's no way she would ever do something like that. People don't just change that quickly!"

"But people can in extreme circumstances." Fumiye's right-hand girl, Fujiye said. People in the crowd muttered amongst each other. The voice of reason and respect for Fumiye's academic standing and social hierarchy cleared any doubts in their minds. Most already stood with Hikaru as he was the most popular guy in school, no one would dare stand against him for fear of being ostracized by their friends, but it was also because of his good looks and virtuous demeanor. They thought it was unlikely with Hikaru's personality to hurt Aimi.

They figured what was occurring in front of them was a misunderstanding.

"You said the phone was at his house. How do you know that the house is his and not someone else's? She could be kidnapped by someone else you know?"

Chiho was speechless. This made her seem unreasonable as she just assumed Hikaru was the culprit without considering other possibilities. This was further contrasted between Fumiye's light and natural make-up look that made her soul-stirring and Chiho's short-tempered and stubborn tomboyish appearance.

"Instead of berating him for your own selfish needs shouldn't you be out looking for her as her 'best friend'?" Fumiye mocked. Chiho looked down and clenched her fists as she tried to suppress an outburst. She then looked up at Hikaru.

"Then Hikaru, would you please help me look for Aimi?" She asked as she looked into his eyes with a furrow on her face.

"Hah? You just accused him of kidnapping Aimi, and you have the nerve to ask for his help? Have you lost it?"

Hikaru had his eyes shut and signaled with the palm of his raised hand indicating to everyone to let him handle it. Fumiye restrained herself from firing more shots and Chiho kept quiet and waited for his answer.