Ghosts of the Past

To my surprise, Fuyuhiko was standing in the Dining Hall, his eyes following me as I made my way to the Kitchen. As Rantaro and I passed him, Fuyuhiko spoke to me.

"Shishano? There's something I need to speak to you about." Fuyuhiko looked serious, but surprisingly, not angry. He then looked over at Rantaro and added, "In private."

Rantaro glanced at me, questioningly, but I gave him a nod. If Fuyuhiko tried anything, I felt confident I could handle him by myself.

Deciding I would eat after talking with Fuyuhiko, I followed Fuyuhiko as he walked out of the Dining Hall, past my dorm room, and further down the hallway to his own dorm room. He opened the door and motioned for me to enter.

Fuyuhiko's room was very neat and orderly, set up as much like an office as a bedroom. It had a dark greyish-brown color to it, making me think of Japanese Cedar. His bed was made of the same material, with a matching black and white pinstriped comforter and pillow set. The floor, however, looked exactly the same as mine; nothing special there.

Fuyuhiko offered me a chair to sit in, which I accepted, and he sat at his large desk.

"Look, I know Mahiru has opened her mouth about my past, and I don't want you feeling sorry for me. I also want to make sure you've got the truth of things; my Yakuza's pride demands that I defend my sister's honor, dead or alive."

I nodded silently, maintaining eye contact, and let him continue speaking.

"Also, understand this; we ain't buddies or nothing. I'm not talking to you now to make nice, and I'm not trying to make this awkward either. but first, a question: Do you have any family that's important to you?"

I nodded. "Yes, my parents and my older brother, Karadano. He was known as the Ultimate Physical Therapist."

Fuyuhiko's eyes widened. "So you're a younger sister with an older brother, too? Just like Natsumi and I. Natsumi actually called herself the Ultimate Little Sister!"

Ultimate Little Sister? How would a talent like that even work? As a little sister myself, I was still confused, but not wishing to insult Fuyuhiko, I let him continue talking.

"It's hard to explain, but she really was a good little sister. I hated it when she'd make a fool out of me, but she'd always come to me if she needed help with something. She had this talent, a subtle way of getting people to do whatever she wanted..." Fuyuhiko trailed off, as if remembering something.

"Sounds like she could have been the Ultimate Manipulator, perhaps?" I inquired.

"Hmph. Not too far off, maybe. She was an arrogant, self-centered sister who would piss me off, but when she was approached to take the head of the Yakuza, she declined it, saying she was only so great because she was my little sister. She wasn't interested in leading the Yakuza at all."

That caught me off guard. I would expect a girl like that to jump at an opportunity like that, but to turn it down for Fuyuhiko? She must have truly appreciated him. I nodded, not bothering to hide my confusion, but chose not to question this revelation.

Fuyuhiko noticed the look on my face, but continued on anyway. "We ended up having an argument over it. I told her to lead, that I could live by myself, but she wouldn't back down. She refused to lead, and insisted I become the next leader when it was time."

Fuyuhiko sighed, looked off in the distance for a while, then continued talking. "Anyway, that's Natsumi. Arrogant, selfish, manipulative, and looked up to me as my little sister. Anyway, she went to school with me, Hiyoko, Mahiru, Sato, and a few others, though Natsumi and Sato were in a different class together. Natsumi and Mahiru were in a photography class together, and Sato and Natsumi were always fighting over how Natsumi treated Mahiru. See, Natsumi had a bit of a jealous rivalry with Mahiru from when they were in a photography class together, and Mahiru always had better pictures than Natsumi."

I nodded. "Did Mahiru dislike your sister, then?"

Fuyuhiko shrugged. "From what Mahiru told me, she just wanted my sister to leave her alone. She got tired of her insults and threats, and Sato always stood up for Mahiru when they were together. Sato would warn Natsumi to leave Mahiru alone, but no one told Natsumi what to do except me."

I nodded slowly, following along, but having nothing to add.

Fuyuhiko took a deep breath, then continued on. "Anyway, things came to a head one night. Some of my classmates, including Hiyoko and Mahiru, found my sister dead in the Music Room with a baseball bat nearby. There was a busted-out window in the room, so my classmates figured that someone had killed her and jumped out the window. However, Mahiru took a picture of the scene, feeling that something was wrong. Later, she approached Sato with the picture, and Sato confessed that she killed my sister to protect Mahiru."

"That explains your history with Hiyoko and Mahiru, but why the hostility? You said yourself that Sato killed your sister, not Mahiru or Hiyoko."

Fuyuhiko grimaced. "I'm getting to that. To protect Sato, she tried to destroy the picture she took, but I ended up finding it. Knowing that Sato was the one who killed my sister, I took my revenge by killing her the same way she killed my little sister. Metal bat upside the head, quick and easy."

Fuyuhiko grinned a little to himself, then quickly became angry. "But that's why I will NEVER forgive Mahiru! Not because she had a rivalry with my sister, but because she tried to cover up Natsumi's murder, and protect the one who ended her life! I know, everyone wants me to make nice with Mahiru and Hiyoko, but fuck that! Don't get it twisted, I don't blame Hiyoko for my sister dying at all; she had nothing to do with it. Hiyoko's just a foul-mouthed brat who needs to learn her place. But Mahiru...No. No forgiveness. Never!"

I could sense the rage boiling up within Fuyuhiko, but knew it was not directed at me. I just let him stew for a while, but he came to his senses more quickly than I was expecting.

"Anyway, I figured since Mahiru opened her mouth about Natsumi, I figured I'd better set the record straight, and see if she lied to you about what happened."

I thought back to my conversations with Mahiru, but then shook my head. "No. Your stories all seem to line up well together, and I do not detect any lies or inconsistencies anywhere."

Fuyuhiko sighed in relief. "Good. Hey, sorry about getting all emotional and shit. Being able to talk about my past, in private...it may help me be able to move forward. Maybe someday, I might even find it within myself to forgive Mahiru, but that time is not now. Just...just don't try to make me play nice with the two of them, like the others are."

I nodded. "I completely understand now, perhaps better than ever. If you are finished with me, I was going to get some lunch from the Dining Hall."

Fuyuhiko's eyes went wide. "Hey, before you go, one more thing! Watch out for Korekiyo! That slimy bastard's up to something. I've seen him watching you, Mahiru, Hiyoko, Kyoko, and Tenko carefully ever since the Second Floor opened up, and I know that look in his eyes when I see it. That fucker's plotting something bad, I know it!"

I thanked him for this info, then showed myself to the door, heading towards the Dining Hall. I made myself some Spaghetti and Meatballs, with Parmesan cheese over Marinara sauce. It was pretty good, though I confess that I have made better batches back home.

Perhaps it was Fuyuhiko's warning. I thought back to my encounters with Korekiyo, and he had always been nice, polite even, with me. He only seemed off-kilter when I offered to perform his sister's burial rites if she died, but that could not be a reason to wish ill upon me...

Could it?