Doubt

Spring was warm, the wind was blowing either it's strong or weak like a soft breeze. The cloud was no guarantee of weather indication, the sun, the cloud, and the people didn't always had the same course of future. Child of the the lightest chemical element known and absolute requirement of life continuation was a commodity for humans and animals not to forget plants keeping them all away from dehydration, whether in one place, in one time or another, the water was never been unneeded source of natural tangible cycle. Its movement was extremely simple but never been predictable especially in an uneven landing spot. They said that the water was moving from higher place to the lower altitude, with the smallest space of room that was indeed undeniable but if everyone only depend on an apparent situation without knowing any other factor for another possibility, the water could even evaporate without realizing it.

The same was human, at some point they knew exactly what was taking place in the closest range of their observation but there were a few cases where something was resolved or exactly the opposite result that they could ever imagine or hope and it was right front of them. Without deeper look or understanding, everything would a miracle or misfortune. Science was exist to try making people understand and connect what was there around them, and at some point they were making people think and question those things which could invite the curious minds to work their brains hard. Why there were things that could escape people's eyes? Because nobody was made entirely of eyes, that much was obvious, two pair of organs which had the capability of grasp visibility and transmitted it to the human's main processing machine then the rest would be depended on the will of the individual.

All that water and human brains was pretty much essential for the living and they were making people do what they could or couldn't do before. There were hardly anything that was impossible. Same as human heart where there were things that could be out of the common sense being held. Emotion was such thing. Emotion was something that was perceivable and couldn't be located in a single glimpse, and by the time went on, people appreciated those who had the brains who could keep up with their excellent eyes, and they could be a great importance in a crucial scenario.

Eyes, brains and emotions, three keys of methodical human perception. Between three of these, people rarely could balance or maximize their virtue. Men often observed as the kinds of eyes and brains, then women on the other hand often associated with eyes and emotions, on either human most natural and basic distinct, biological attributes.

Emotions by itself was something temperamental, came and gone at the least anticipated moments. These was something that being experience by a young woman in her later teen years. Her blond and silky hair was scattering on her white bed, her right hand, which half of the arm was covered by her puff sleeve of her outfit, was resting on her forehead, the other hand was straight. Her eyes were opened, her mouth was, although small, opening a room for incoming air though her mouth. Her white pajama was clean but a bit out of order, her blue ribbon under the round collar was untidy, the frilly design of the collar it self which was showing her collar bone wasn't exactly straight for most of them. Her display was that of a confused mind, Teresa was visibly static.

The time was evening, the kitchen silent, the sink which faucets was facing the two types of furniture, one was brown with black handle door, it wasn't big at the first glance some took the design as fridge which it really was especially with its modern design. The other one was a sliding door type which was constructed with transparent glass, the size was much bigger than the former. Plates and other cutlery were in no way unsightly for a regular placement. In the living room there was a single table for multiple purposes, sometimes for dinner, another was for unbend another just to do everyday things like Alec usually did, reading her book quietly. This were the main area of Teresa and Alec's daily activity began, but the time was late and evidently there was no reason to be there while having their routine almost end according to human biological schedule.

The young lady was facing her blank white ceiling clearly having an inner activity than anything, her mind was full of something, something that could make her think and spent her time dealing with it. She was startled more than anything since she picked up that call from her father. And heard a few things that was out of her imagination regarding one of the people who changed her life, Mitsuyoshi Tada. She didn't really remember the few most important things about her safety confirmations, no, there were barely mention of that by her parent. He was focused on her overall well being but there were a few things that took his interests more than anything.

A few hours ago.

"These were all that we had found about that young man. The rest will be depend on you." Her father's voice was almost distant, but he had a pressing tone in the last part of his latest contact, he didn't sound giving up or forcing it on her.

"......" She barely could recite those fresh words and in mark them in her brain. A few new things were not really as certain for sure, but this concern of her father was beyond what she could think of especially when her most alike friend. He and danger were never been in the same sentence, at least not to this point.

"You have your judgment and value of that young man, and we might know a few things that you could only dream especially when there is Alec there with you. In the end all of this will affect you the most."

"But there was still no guarantee that it will be a danger." She still couldn't have her head straight.

"Yes, that is the most relieving part, and we can do a few things to prepare ourselves to anything what is about to come to that young man. You definitely don't want to miss something bad about him."

"...I'll think of what to do..."

"Of course. And Teresa..."

"...Yes?"

"We have our faith in you..."

"Father..."

"For a parent who usually didn't seem to concern about a possibly temporary affection of young people this seemed to be an exaggeration."

"......"

"But I didn't at least haven't seen anyone who could move your heart intensely, so this might be the first for you, but we will treat this as the last for you."

"Father, I..."

"You can do anything, discuss it with Alec, your friends or even that young man himself. Don't do things in a haste but don't take things too slowly. Any moment matters. Then take the best what is for you. We could reach different destinations after you make your decision, but I don't want you to have a new regret."

"Understood."

"Remember...stay true to yourself."

"......"

"Do rest well."

"Good evening."

Those exchange sometime ago was an eye opener for her, she also did know that a few things could be troubling Tada, but for it to concerned her parents to this extent. It could be exaggeration but there's no such things for her beloved parents who always thought about for her sake. And she couldn't take anything related to him lightly, she couldn't and she didn't want to.

"Tada-kun..." She muttered his name as her head, her mind and her hard couldn't keep up with the moon which was sleepless watching over the least guarded cycle of her time. She went and leave the conscious world while thinking that other person living just across her veranda.

Older fashioned building right beside Grand Palace Ginza, it was shorter then those surrounding it, building's material which by appearance was mostly wood, in a sense it was left behind by the hand of time. The place was closed for the day, the wind still did visit its environment but barely change the angles of decorative floral placed in the planting pots on the light shades of pavement, window box, and then at the two corners of the store front. The glass of the bay window was transparent but because bad lighting of the time without the sun the interior was too dark for eyes to discern. The three storied building looked lonely in a perspective.

The infrastructure was unique but skipping the first and the second floors, the third was occupied by a young man in his final year of high school education. The room was simple and barely colorful as the first impression of those who saw the actual place put it in a single word would be 'grey'. The lighting was minimal, there are a few ceiling lamps but could focus the light close enough who needs a brighter illumination, but because he didn't do much in the room during darker period so it did seemed to be unnatural for him, besides there is desk lamp if there were cases where he needed his focus on the desk where his most useful tools were located.

His desk, which was a bit short on all legs of it was something that had people sit their posture without a chair, and there was only a cushion for anyone to had their bottom rest, the furniture was was wide enough to make a few pile of books stacked on top each other, the size of the books were considerably wide, but there were still rooms for pen holder which contained a few stationary for his own timing use. A few files, folders then few more books were standing on the left north against the wall on top of that was a few pictures and pin notes, and at the very corner was the helpful desk lamp, it was a wide designed lamp with a long bulb equipped in it. There was a space between the wall and the desk, a few canvases of pictures, which were things that was printed of digital photographs including natural scenes, like night sky, and old brown shaded image, was placed horizontally, probably in case of sudden movement which could cause it to fall down. On top of the canvases there were hangers with a light blue backpack hanging down, there was no other things were in the same position of the backpack visible. On the was itself was a board, there was a big canvas, the biggest of all there, and it wasn't white painted but picture of natural night including the stars, the Milky Way, that was the most outstanding printed photograph he had without including his unpublished albums.

On the other corner of the room was a few more practical stuffs, the closest thing to the windows was there stack of black cabinets on each of its corners there was white painting on it. Then there was a wall storage, various of things were kept in each of spaces, jars, radio, files and folders, there was also a few more canvas of older styled photographs. Basically there were almost nothing that the room owner didn't take a room there. One part of was ceiling was glass instead of wall material, but it seemed to be guarding the place against natural causes for a long time, might be even before he himself was born. The light which came in wasn't much as the moon didn't generate its own light like the sun did.

Despite all the relaxing atmosphere of the room, the young student didn't seem to have all his surrounding affecting him in anyway because the face he was putting on was anything but relaxed, at some point he was wincing not for too much repetition, but enough to show that he wasn't had an all good day to had gone through.

His eyes were almost blank, the reflection wasn't much on his pupils, by the time it's losing its vibrant display but didn't stay so for long, because there seemed to be a mental alarm for him not to wander too much.

"Dad...Mom..." He was mumbling two relatives who no longer around to keep them under watch. Two people had a traffic accident ten to eleven years ago, while he and everyone else thought that it was an absolute accident without any reason than something inevitable. Now someone he barely knew told him otherwise.

Should he believe him or not? There was no clear answer for the question that has been torturing him for the past few hours after that afternoon with a sun started to go down and had a rest for itself from watching anyone going into the less vibrant and noisy environment. He didn't know Kuryuu, he even barely remember the name of the man who invited him for a breakfast, and because of this man's fault the store out of help, for that a few people had lent a hand for the old man who had been with him for as long as he lived.

He had knew those people and they were people he could leave the business to them for a short few hours. The store was by no means packed but somehow people were coming to had a coffee a bit more than usual. Who knew how this day could made up the money he had spent going and staying a bit more than twenty four hours in the country crossing Caspian Sea and Black along the way to get there. Money was never been something inexhaustible for him and his family, they had always been mindful of handling them. The time he had expended it in a large number was countable with a single hand's fingers, even so most of them had been worth it.

Despite all that reality which could put him into trouble unless he got himself focused and worked at least like the basis standard, the thought of ten years of history didn't really let him to shut his active brains to take a few hours break.

"One year..." He muttered the duration which was given by them man, one year, two school terms, two semesters, twelve months. All the numbers and units came into his mind as he thought of the number.

There could be many things happen during this one year, but not to think about he unanswered question. But he needed to think about something else first.

"Did I mistake something?" Suddenly he thought of his new discovery, he definitely had some regrets when he couldn't say anything before departure of his parents, and the same when he let Teresa went back to her homeland. Will he regret again if he didn't jump into the pursuit. If he really did follow his own wish for extreme curiosity then he would have to think about people around him. He's not alone, and he's getting even more connection than he was before a year ago. And his connection was even deeper than he thought it was before experiencing the loss for another one in that girl. That person was Teresa.

Teresa was like the light who gave energy to anyone who saw her smile, she had one of the weirdest hobby and antics he could ever find in a person. She's so awkward when she had something deep in her mind especially when it bothered her to an extent. And the most notable part of her was she was putting everyone and everything else above her own 'selfish' desire. Even if everyone said that it was natural to have an inner wish, she didn't think of it that way. He didn't know her wish when she was a child, but she had heard her words in her hometown that she was determined to be the queen. He didn't know what kind of a queen she dreamt of before, but at the time she declared it herself that the queen of her mind was someone who could do her duty as she supposed to be. And she also had her determination of being in his side for all time. The two determinations were contradictory and in the end she didn't hesitate and chose to push her parents, people and country itself second to him.

"......"

His thought of Teresa where she really got her wish fulfilled because of her genuine emotion was something to be admired. He didn't know much about how she got the consent of her parents and not to forget that because of her position she shouldn't only facing her parents but a few important people as well, some people that could influence the fate of the country. At this point he really wanted to know, and he saw her bright smile again in his deep mind, he finally got himself relaxed a little bit.

He really did want to know more about her mother, who barely discussed by his grandpa, but was it worth to find out truth of someone who had a happy life before her unexpected death? Of course it wasn't easy as a child who didn't have a direct parents to guide them, but it wasn't like he didn't have anyone he did have his grandfather, and he was extremely grateful to him. Now that his grandfather came up on his mind, he didn't want to leave his grandfather to spend his next step of life where he was about to retire if the condition allowed him to do, by himself, he definitely need some companions, he didn't want to send him to retirement home.

The next one on his mind was his sister Yui, she's in her third year of middle school, and not long after that she would pursue higher education. She's a cheerful little girl and had been under the elder brother's supervision in a lot of ways, she even knew his friends during her time with his brother, and she even got along well with them. A little girl's activity and necessity was always in general cost something and there were a few that could be something unimaginable and that would only escalate during her entry to high school. Now in this point it got a little complicated, money was something they had for a moment but in a long term there should be a few considerations and risks where only few things could be afforded. Yui had always been a unselfish girl being economical, and she didn't spend much time outside the house so she often could be found in the first floor of their house being a waitress helping everyone taking care of orders and other helpful things that could be important but, didn't seem very much significant often times. Girls would be expanding their time together with their friends, do what they do, eat what they eat, wear what they wear, all of those would need resources. She can still of course do some part time for the cafe but who knows when she would change her mind. As she get even older and sensible, no, she was pretty much sensible more than any other people in her age, except for a few things which could be considered as normal for teen girls. And then, there would still some time, but she possibly would get a boyfriend, at that time her time in the house will change and help will be more business oriented.

"Yui's boyfriend...is it?"

As an elder brother it's not like it's unimaginable that she would be intending to have a little bit more of social circle with someone in the opposite gender. He himself actually found a girl, and had a steady bond with her. The little sister didn't show much of interest of anyone he saw, even if she did he didn't know who that was in her favour, maybe there would be the time where she actually introduced that person to him someday, if he's making himself as a reference at the fastest she would be at least interested in someone during her first time in high school, but nobody would be able to see the future as they say girls often matured faster than boys so, there's a chance that she had someone in her heart already. He then realized that he actually didn't need to consider deeply about his sister's interest in the matter of man and woman. He just needed to trust her. He should end it just like that.

"For now...There's nothing more..."

He then started a to think about people who had connections with him. Ijuuin, Alec, Hasegawa, Yamashita and those who were the regular of the cafe, they are all good people. And then...

"Nyanko Big..."

Not only his friend came to mind, but another long time resident of the house. How come the mascot of the distinguished, in a lot of aspects, cafe wasn't present in recent time...

"Maybe I need to see what he's doing..."

Even though animals had their own capabilities of staying alive, that big, fat, heavy and not so agile mammal could be dangerous going out by itself all this time. There barely anyone didn't know the so called 'Big' and it often had a stroll and came home safely, but these days it didn't show a track.

"Maybe I should ask Yamashita Ken." The animal loving, but animosity gathering junior was someone to ask if anyone got their pets lost, he rarely disappoint. He even acted like his nickname 'Dog', in both good and bad ways.

Then he tried to find his cell phone, as far as he remembered he put it on the desk. Then he got up getting closer to the study area of his, the took a hand-size device up then tap on the display...

The screen was flashed but something he didn't really anticipated came up. 0%.

"Hmmm?" He found it weird that the device was on when he tapped on it to make the display turned on. If the battery was really low then it won't turned on as soon as he tapped it. Then he tried to tap on it again and the display this time didn't show anything before a few seconds of press on the power button. The familiar red battery icon came up. He didn't have any choice but to plug in the charged and let it recharged for sometime. The device was on and battery indicator was moving fine showing that the power was being regenerated, he then left it alone on the desk. He's someone who barely using his smart device, often using the camera rather than anything else. As expected of a photography minded person, he didn't care ,mostly, about anything else but the image capture feature equipped in one of the most versatile device exists. He got up his place and walking back to the the entrance point of his room and stepped down the stairs, there was nobody awake at the time, then he got close to the worktop then tried to find something then...

"Myaa..." The sound of non human creature was echoing close to him. He stopped what he was doing and saw the family's renown pet, the fat cat, named Nyanko Big. The name was showing how the person who named it was simple person and named the creature as soon as that person saw it. Knowing that someone he only smiled, the 'Big' part was his own design and might be his wish at some point in the long history of his life in the house. That part of his wish came true...maybe a little bit too much.

"Did you have fun?"

"Did you have dinner?"

He asked a few questions to the incomprehending cat, but it responded with its own voices sometimes...maybe, just maybe this pet really could understand him. But logic will go out of the window if it really does. As he pat it a few times, suddenly he saw it yawning and seemingly about to take his own rest. He stopped what he was doing and left it alone.

Letting the free creature took the leasure , he suddenly remembered that he came down to do something on the second floor. He reached out to coffee grinder, hot water and of course, the coffee beans and started his own routine of coffee making. The beverage was ready not long after he put his ready-to-consume brew and put it in a relatively small cup. It was midnight and he only needed a few refreshing beverage so he didn't make it strong but the opposite, and it was enough had his mind cleared. Brought the coffee to his lips and sipped on it a few times, then didn't take a while he his head was a little light and his eyelids were getting heavier.

Seemingly done with his business he took care of the tools and the cup and put them away. He then climbed up to his room and reached out to his bed and had his back down first and started to make his first step to another world in his head. He suddenly remembered that he needed to brush his teeth but as he had a few unpleasant day, he didn't try to fight his body's demand and began his trip to another world in his imagination. Not long after, his breath was getting calmer and steadier, he was then done for the day.

Another place, dark room.

The place wasn't well lit but it was enough for some people, by the limited number of chairs there were only few who would take their seat for a less constraining motion for anyone. The chairs they were five of them, each facing the same direction, in the northern part of the room a relatively big desk but limited in purpose, the design wasn't complex and only pretty much bare to see the components being constructed. There were sounds of knob turned and then a swinging echo it wasn't quite loud but enough for people who could be having their ears open in a short distance to it. The people had a similar height but different build, different as they are, the shadow was a bit overwhelming for clear lighting.

"...It's still early...?" The first person was looking a bit unexpected in his regular tone.

"For some it is..." Second person person responded a-matter-of-factly. His tone was steady and unwavering.

"A meeting for this kind of timing...Is there anything?" The former was trying to find out.

"Who knows, only a minutes since the alert so, I don't think we will see anyone soon enough." The other was lost as well.

"That would be a praiseworthy in a sense." Somehow the former was applauding something verbally.

"Yeah, and had someone lose his finger or something..." A different man didn't to be expecting as such.

"I've been thinking...isn't that a bit harsh?" Talking logically the consequences was too much.

"We need to keep ourselves on time. Some had paid for a small mistake." Routine and cautionary.

"Well, it's true that it was unfortunate."

"It's not like we had trouble with checking our own watch, so if there's no trouble then even if there's a punishment, it shouldn't bring us any harm."

"That's right." Third person suddenly joined the two who were still talking.

"...Just say something when you enter. We don't need much surprise during this period." The regular tone person wasn't interested in keeping his tone.

"How come you get all touchy?" A tease came his way.

"Someone just need to bring that up?" Irritated following the latest response.

"Oh come on, that wasn't much, it's not like you had anything on you missing. A game you know, game." Hardly serious in his gesture the third man demonstrate.

"I don't want to play that game if you're in it." Invitation rejected.

"Che, what a bummer. You're strong physically, but weak mentally?" Trying to instigate the first person.

"You can say that to any soldier you know." The plan failed and got redirected.

"Not really there are a few that even shot his boss, you know..." Somehow another topic but didn't deviate much.

"Then they were a bad boss..." Another perspective came from the third person.

"Who cares, the subordinate didn't have good self control or the boss had a bad mouth, it had nothing to do with us." The second speaker didn't mutter for either side.

"Then the both was found under the same palm tree..." A few unpleasant scene was depicted after a few unnecessary information imparted.

"That's somehow romantic in its own way." The brain seemed to be working in peculiar ways.

"Yeah a romantic trip to hell." Fourth person person reacted on the latest change of topic.

"...Don't you love that scenario." Someone definitely went along the tone.

"Much better if the two were man and woman." The scene had a few further suggestion but who knew what was the truth.

"Seems you had a bit of fun..." Someone else took place behind the desk.

"Boss, you're here finally..." The first man was didn't intend to continue his colleagues' gibberish and took the chance.

"Well, nobody was late so we can begin." The boss took his place the same was the the rest in the room.

"Hmm? But the last one isn't here yet..." Seemed to be confused one was looking for someone who supposed to had the final empty seat available.

"Well don't worry about him, I had him scouting." The 'Boss' understood and let him know what it was about.

"...Is that a good thing? Having him to watch over someone?" Someone was familiar with who they were talking about and a few experience and thoughts of his own making him doubt the assignment was actually on point.

"We don't really have a choice, someone dangerous emerged." The boss was making his point clear as he opened a folder and took out a few papers.

"...Dangerous, how dangerous?" The second person was trying look into the matter which was in front of their eyes.

"He had a few black history...Well, we need a few more tracks to cover..." The boss seemed to know a few things but didn't say anything on that and shared what he did.

"Anyone got exposed?" One was a bit wary as he kept his ears open.

"Who knows..." The 'boss' didn't ascertain himself very clear.

"Then what is it?" Skipping all the unnecessary exchange someone trying to get to the main point.

"We didn't get a clear view of the target, but we have a few records matching the main target." The 'Boss' said.

"So what? We're here for nothing?" Pouting was apparent to see, the dislike of the situation was vocalize.

"Not really. We might lost the main target, but we got the secondary one..."

"What really? Isn't he a dangerous one too, then?" A guess came up basing on a few news from the one facing the four.

"No, this one isn't by any means an asset in our field. He's a civilian." Some answer just not as one imagined.

"Are you serious? Making that guy's eyes on a civilian?" Wide open eyes, a few things didn't go through the usual routine.

"We do mind our own move but, the target is peculiar too in a sense." Trying to justify the situation the 'Boss' still said so.

"We don't have anything on him either?" This time focus was diverged.

"No, we do have, but it's cut off." The latter focus was unclear in some cases.

"Cut off? What? The earth spit him out?" Surprises wasn't unexpected.

"It didn't him, but his mother." Further details but still related

"His mom? What about her? We don't tag her?" Steps were need to be taken

"Well you can do that but she's not moving anytime soon." But something pushed restrain.

"What? Dead?" A deduction was raised.

"Ten years ago."

"...You kidding me?" Unintentional second check.

"Why would I? That made it interesting, his mom didn't have any kind of record at all, just like you said, she is like the child of the earth itself." Repeated a few things he heard recently but the voice and the silhouette didn't change.

"Please stop that." Somehow got his words thrown to the talker of the same phrase, averting his head.

"What we're covering is a seventeen years old, soon enough eighteen, normal guy in every sense of the word. But he's got a good girlfriend..." A few profile details was recited but at the end the word was suggestive but if the intonation wasn't.

"In what sense?"

"Two, economically and characteristically."

"Who?" Into the main point, a name.

"Young Princess Teresa du Laursernbourg."

"Oh, one of the most renown royal in recent time." A young face and balanced figure came to each mind in the place.

"Where is he now?" Back to the second target.

"Land of Samurai, Japan." Some people still called the land the same way as this person did.

"Do samurais even exist today...?" Another nonsense was brought up. Too easy got carried away.

"Who knows, might be, but ninja should be..." Then he found himself a partner.

"We're all ninja here..." The next partner putting them the same place.

"Nonsense aside, she's a bit troublesome to handle but the young man shouldn't be?" Brushing aside the bollocks, they had a few history about the latest figure mentioned.

"At first it seemed that way."

"At first?" Waiting for some confirmations.

"Yeah, until we got two pair of eyeballs in my mail box." A bit gruesome occurrance was depicted.

"...Trapped?"

"Who knows. For someone to be so precise, I'm still too naive." Lamenting himself he let out a tired breath.

"Are we still okay, boss?" Someone was getting worried. The consequences of the announcement was variable but the main thing was everyone with no exception was taken into account.

"Yes, the concern is there but they didn't do anything when we made another approach." The 'Boss' then phrase another thing went through.

"How?"

"The royal entourage didn't have extra hand..." Laursernbourg was in the case on their own.

"...The girlfriend is basically disposable?" Somehow unbelieving voice was elevated.

"At least that's how that went. They do have a different method to that other crowd." There were things that were undetermined.

"That guy only care about the civilian?" The very first target finally resurface in their exchange.

"They're making us go against a troublesome guy?" Someone was knitting hard his eyebrows and put his fingers on his head.

"That depends on how you judge Thomas du Laursernbourg." A certain head of a country was involved in a less than general discussion.

"Is this guy...objecting the relationship or something?" The first target was getting even suspicious according some.

"Who knows, could be the other way around where he's just trying to use us a in a way we couldn't understand, but actually suitable with our own ability." He was still conflicted but he couldn't keep it that way.

"Hmmm..." Some only thinking to himself.

"The target?" Demanded some description.

"Mitsuyoshi Tada, his next birthday is May 7." Unusually specific detail followed.

"Why would you mention that trivia now?" A few were close to tied their tongues.

"The first shadow first target seen was January 7." Another specific detail, questionably linked to the previous detail.

"...How auspicious." The mind was baffled.

"This will be a lively birthday party right?" Some was barely keep his lips turned upwards.

"Who knows, but for us, we'll need a special gift to prepare for a different eighteenth stage for the lifetime."