Chapter 54: Kidnapped Sister?
Forty minutes earlier.
After finishing her morning university classes, Yukinoshita Haruno, who was free for the afternoon, turned down her friends' invitation to hang out and returned to her apartment.
She had something more important to do.
During her hug with Yuki-chan that morning, she had secretly placed a button-sized tracker under her sister's school uniform collar.
Haruno had gone out of her way to get this tracking device, using the Yukinoshita family's connections without her parents knowing. It was a despicable move, but all the strange behavior she'd noticed in her sister—and her own growing anxiety—had driven her to monitor Yukino's life in this twisted way.
People live to feel at ease.
Whether it's gaining fame, controlling others, or making money, it's all in search of peace of mind.
Yukinoshita Haruno wanted that peace too.
So, while disgusted with herself, she took this dishonorable action, hoping for clear answers—and her efforts seemed to pay off.
Yuki-chan really seemed unwell.
Earlier that morning, before the car had even driven a few hundred meters away, Haruno heard Yukino talking to herself through her earpiece.
She was sure there was no one else around her sister at the time. Yukino wasn't close enough with anyone to chat so freely, so it had to be self-talk, as if she was having a conversation in her own mind.
Mental illness? Split personality?
In any case, something was seriously wrong with Yukino.
Still, Haruno wasn't ready to jump to conclusions just yet. She planned to keep observing.
Luckily, her sister's conversations at school seemed normal, with none of the self-talk she'd noticed before. This offered a glimmer of hope in Haruno's assumptions.
After Yukino's club activities at Sobu High wrapped up, Haruno opened her phone's tracking app to check if her sister was heading home as usual.
Then, she saw the red dot, representing Yukinoshita Yukino's location, start moving quickly.
That was definitely not a speed a person could move at, or even a car. What kind of vehicle could ignore roads and go straight through buildings?
Was there a problem with the tracker?
After all the trouble it took to get it, did it really break just like that?
Yukinoshita Haruno stared, stunned, as Yukinoshita Yukino's location moved from Chiba to Tokyo, then came to a stop. According to the map, it was somewhere in the Adachi district, a remote area… an abandoned orphanage?
She furrowed her brows, refreshing the tracker a few more times, but the result stayed the same—the red dot on her phone screen stood out clearly. When she refreshed it again, it disappeared.
Did the tracker run out of battery?
No way, it should last three full days on a full charge.
Was it broken or destroyed?
Either way, Yukinoshita Haruno decided to call Yuki-chan to confirm what was going on.
"Ring… ring…"
The sound of the dial tone echoed through the line, the signal seeming to lose its way between the city buildings, never quite finding its target. Finally, a flat, automated voice responded, "The number you are calling is currently out of service."
Her fair hand holding the phone trembled slightly. If it was just a problem with the tracker, Yukinoshita Yukino's phone shouldn't be unreachable.
A kidnapping?
Judging from how fast the red dot had moved, maybe a helicopter?
For a moment, a hint of confusion showed on Yukinoshita Haruno's graceful, lovely face. Wasn't it just last week that Yukino went through something like this, and now it was her turn? Images of Yuki-chan being taken flashed through her mind, and she felt a sudden wave of panic. She snapped out of it, grabbed her car keys, threw on a pair of sneakers, and dashed downstairs.
She still remembered where the signal had last appeared. After quickly setting the location on her phone's map, she drove off in that direction.
Racing through the streets, running a few red lights along the way, Yukinoshita Haruno finally reached the last location the tracker had shown for Yuki-chan. She parked by the side of the road but didn't get out immediately, instead quietly watching her surroundings from the car.
The street was deserted, with only an occasional passerby or vehicle. The largest building in the area was an orphanage a short distance away.
Curious, Haruno searched online and discovered that this orphanage had been abandoned for nearly twenty years. Strangely, in a city like Tokyo where land is incredibly valuable, it had never been demolished and was instead left to decay over the years.
She didn't know why the orphanage was still standing, but it was clear that this kind of place was perfect for shady, illegal activities.
So, was Yukino taken to an orphanage? With a signal jammer inside?
After thinking for a moment, Yukinoshita Haruno stepped out of the car and walked up to the orphanage's rusty iron gate, peering inside.
She looked carefully, but everything seemed normal. There were no vehicles or helicopters around, and even the layer of dust on the ground was untouched.
Should she go in?
As a rash thought crossed her mind, her initial panic began to fade. Forcing herself to stay calm, she typed out a distress message on her phone, ready to send it at a moment's notice, then put her phone in her pocket.
She decided to go inside and check.
Right now, she wanted nothing more than to see her sister's face. If Yukino was really kidnapped, she must be scared. Despite appearing strong on the outside, Yukino has always been timid. Even if she got herself caught, her presence might make Yuki-chan feel a little safer.
The chance of the kidnappers hurting Yukino was low. Since they went through the trouble of taking the Yukinoshita family's daughter, it was likely for some gain or purpose, not revenge. Besides, their family hadn't made any enemies, so it wasn't a vendetta. Otherwise, there'd be no need for this elaborate setup.
There was a certain level of safety in this.
Just go in and check things out; it didn't mean she'd be noticed.
Yukinoshita Haruno took a deep breath, ready to take a step forward.
The barrier lifted.
In front of her appeared her sister's familiar face, though it somehow looked unfamiliar.
Dark, mysterious markings now covered her face, and her whole presence felt strange. What stood out even more was that, below her sister's now oddly colored eyes, was another pair of narrow eyes.
She was even holding Hikigaya Hachiman by one hand.
...
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