14 Chapter 14: Adventure Time

The more I flap the pages furiously, the more I feel furious about this whole thing.

I am searching for names or places that might be helpful, but nothing seems familiar. His coworkers must be dead already, obviously. It's not like I can go to the places he mentioned and there'd be scattered clues anywhere from a century ago and I'd be a miraculous Nancy Drew or something. I never understand that element from mystery stories.

I keep going back and forth like a normal student cramming the night before an exam who hasn't studied the entire week for it. I wonder how that feels like. Soon enough, I go back to one particular page where Jacob met Haku. I repeat his name several times. Haku. Haku. Haku.

That name seems oddly familiar, but I couldn't exactly put my finger to it. The only thing I can resonate with it is the Ichiraku Ramen store I always go to. I slouch on my seat then quickly become uncomfortable remembering that I'm sitting on a toilet inside my bathroom.

Well, out than in, right?

That sounded kinda gross. Anyway, might as well try. Packing my things, I go outside as quick as I can. When I do, I see the dirt bike again. I forgot I have to return this to Theo today. I guess that'll have to wait. I hop on in and make my way to Ichiraku.

While I was driving, I was overthinking about this whole scavenging thing (which I probably should not do considering I almost died like twice even when I was fully on guard). It's strange that everything's falling to piece like this and my own personal experience with the cave is heavily involved. And figuring this might also help me to know what to do. It's just also weird that I am going out of my way to do more than a few steps to do so. Normally, I would hide in my house and avoid any form of social interaction. Not because I'm anti-social (although, that might be a part of it), but because whenever I step out of my house, I always feel on edge assuming and knowing that everyone here knows about the famous, infamous Rhys Harrison and his family line. Now, I'm just going around town figuring my own mystery. And it's pretty hella fun?

As I approach near the store, I thought I noticed a familiar face and I stop almost abruptly. I really need to fix that. I carefully move to the side and discreetly look again to my left.

Yup, that's my girl.

I step out of the dirt bike and go towards her but realize another familiar face which made me hide behind a lamp post. She's with Piera Shay? That's odd. I was sure I had seen Jessica about to scream at her yesterday. Well, I never got the chance to talk to her about her being mad. But it doesn't seem like that anymore.

They even seem to have fun right now.

Either way, I can't really do anything about that now. She seems fine and I don't want to disturb my girlfriend when there's nothing seriously wrong. Jessica and Piera enters the same Bentley I saw yesterday and leave. Going back to my own biz, I finally enter the store.

"Hey there."

"Good afternoon, may I take your order?" A neutral cashier employee asks me. His eyes seem bored and lazy, as well as his tone of voice. It might be because I entered the room, but he's at least kind enough to not say anything mean.

Ah crap, wait, what was I gonna ask?

"Do you, by any chance, know someone called Haku Hatsu here?"

"Who's asking?"

"Uh, me?"

"Why?"

I breathe in a stupid excuse I'm about to make, "I have an important interview with him today. I'm from the Word Winter Wrap from—"

"It's Winter Word Wrap, Rhys Harrison."

"Oh, right."

That's the only thing I could think of because I saw Piera earlier, but I couldn't even get it right? And I've been in that school for years? Dammit. Plus, he already knows me, so my cover is blown. Another plus, I was right that I'm the reason he's annoyed.

"Anyway, I'm here on behalf of my team to interview him."

The man smiled at me, "I'm sorry to inform you but Haku Hatsu is currently unavailable."

That means he's still alive!

"Can you tell me when he will be available or where I can find him?"

"I'm not sure when he will be available next, but maybe you can find him buried 6 feet deep at the local Winterville Cemetery."

My mouth was perfectly shaped an 'o' once he said that. While he does a slight smile which was the first expression he's done the entire interaction.

"I do, however, know someone related to him called Yuki Hatsu and he used to work here, but not anymore."

Bingo! I definitely heard that name before. I think grandma talked about him a couple of times and he lives the next street ours. That's why the last name ringed a bell to me earlier.

"Oh! Cool. Do you know where I can find him?"

"I'm sorry, that information cannot be disclosed." Dammit all. "So, may I take your order?"

That was stupid. But at least I did get something out of it, surprisingly. Another freaking ramen because I felt bad that I was bothering the guy. And I guess some info. But it was seriously vague so now I'm standing at the very start of the street I remembered grandma mentioning when talking about Yuki not knowing what to do. I already went this far.

Embarrassing as it is, I just go knock to the first door I see and ask for Yuki Hatsu. Unexpectedly, the person didn't show any signs of disgust the moment they saw me and told me Yuki's house easily. They must be living under a rock.

The person said that he lived at the very end of street. I cringe at the thought of me asking every door of this street if none of them were to tell me where he is. I also cringe at the fact that I told someone that I will be interviewing a dead person because my dumb brain got deluded. Being active really does wonders, huh.

I go to Yuki's and knock a couple of times. I was starting to get a little nervous. This is the moment of truth, after all.