The Wait

"Mizahara? The one we saw earlier today? Why?" Jingliu asked, her brow furrowed in confusion as she processed Yasushi's reply.

Yasushi closed his eyes, leaning back against the pillows, and allowed a contemplative silence to envelop them. Jingliu, sitting between his legs him, rested her head gently on his chest, seeking comfort in his presence.

"When they walked past us," Yasushi began, his voice low and deliberate, "I noticed something strange. Her eyes stayed on us a bit longer than usual, and as they moved away, she glanced back. Our eyes met, and there was something in her gaze that struck me as odd. She fits the description Yinhaie gave us perfectly — a transfer student with a hidden, troubled past. We'll have a clearer picture once we speak to her tomorrow. But for now, let's keep our suspicions to ourselves and focus on the damage we inflicted on the killer," he explained, his tone measured and thoughtful.

Jingliu fell into a deep silence, her mind whirling around the intricacies of Yasushi's words. The room seemed to expand with the quiet, as if the very walls were contemplating the conversation alongside her. After what felt like an eternity but was merely a minute, she finally spoke, her voice carrying the weight of her thoughts.

"If you put it that way, then I suppose I have to agree. Even though we don't have concrete proof yet, just a series of coincidental pieces of evidence, it's enough to warrant a deeper investigation," she mused aloud, her words hanging in the air like the final notes of a symphony. Her seriousness was underscored by a sudden yawn, breaking the intensity of the moment as she looked up at Yasushi, her eyes softening.

"Let's sleep for now…" she added, her voice trailing off as she nestled closer to him, seeking the comfort and warmth of his presence. The room seemed to shrink back to its normal size, the weight of their discussion giving way to the simplicity of the night.

"Right, let's sleep," Yasushi echoed, his voice a gentle whisper against the stillness. He adjusted his position, allowing the familiarity of their bed to envelop them. Slowly, as if guided by an unseen hand, they both drifted into sleep, their breaths synchronizing in the dark, embracing the quiet that the night offered.

+-+

"Lady Jingliu, Lord Yasushi, I have initiated a comprehensive investigation into one of the suspects you brought to my attention earlier," Yinhaie announced as they shared a quiet breakfast, the morning light filtering softly through the windows. Her tone was grave, underscoring the seriousness of their clandestine activities. "We should have all the necessary information within a day or three. It's important to note that our methods aren't exactly within legal bounds, so we may need to uncover these details through alternative means."

Yasushi paused, his chopsticks hovering over his plate, before nodding thoughtfully. "Then return to us in three days. That timeline will suffice," he said, his voice steady and measured. He took a deliberate bite of his food, chewing thoughtfully before addressing another pressing matter. "Now, what of the aftermath from last night's encounter? It won't be making headlines, will it?"

Yinhaie sighed, a subtle tension in her shoulders betraying the complexity of the situation. "Regrettably, the news began covering it late last night. However, we managed to manipulate the narrative. The media has been led to believe it was merely a random couple in the park, who by sheer luck escaped due to the timely intervention of two off-duty police officers heading home from a party. This fabricated story explains the quick call for backup. Rest assured, neither of your names have been mentioned in any reports," she explained, her voice carrying the weight of the night's events and their precarious situation.

"That's good, thank you," Yasushi replied, his voice steady and calm, as he acknowledged the maid's service before resuming his meal with deliberate ease. Each bite was measured, as if he were savoring not just the food but the quiet moments of the morning.

Yinhaie, with a slight furrow of concern in her brow, added a cautionary note, her voice carrying a gentle urgency. "Please maintain a safe distance from the suspect, and as we discussed earlier, keep a vigilant eye on any changes in their behavior. It's crucial to our investigation."

Yasushi nodded, his expression unwavering. "Hmm. We went over that last night, so there's no need to worry," he reassured her, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips. Yinhaie returned the smile, albeit briefly, before she turned and left, her steps purposeful as she continued her meticulous investigation.

Turning his attention to the figure beside him, Yasushi noticed Jingliu's furrowed brow as she stared intently at her phone. Concerned, he asked, "Is something wrong?"

Jingliu sighed deeply, a blend of frustration and fatigue in the exhale. She shook her head slowly, placing her phone down on the table with a resigned gesture. "No, it's just Xinyi. She's sent me numerous texts since last night, worried about me. What about you?" She lifted her gaze to meet his, her eyes searching for some shared solace.

"Dunno," he responded, his voice carrying a casual nonchalance. Yasushi reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, scrolling through the notifications. Like Jingliu, he saw that Xinyi had sent him several messages. Additionally, there were texts from Furuya and Laura, both in their group chat and individual conversations. The messages varied from inquiries about their well-being to updates on their mutual concerns.

"Let's just update them in person," Yasushi suggested to Jingliu, his voice carrying a calm yet firm resolve. He quickly typed out a message to their concerned friends, stating that they would provide a full account of the previous night's events once they all reconvened for the second day of the collection event.

His fingers moved swiftly, crafting the words that would buy them time and keep their friends' worries at bay until a face-to-face meeting could offer a more thorough explanation.

Jingliu, without uttering a word, nodded in silent agreement. Her eyes conveyed a mutual understanding, a shared acknowledgment of the necessity to handle the situation delicately.

+-+

As soon as Jingliu and Yasushi approached the vicinity of the school, a sudden blur of movement caught Yasushi's eye. Furuya, with an impulsive burst of energy, came charging at him, attempting a dramatic dropkick.

Yasushi, acting purely on instinct honed by countless encounters, swiftly grabbed Furuya's legs mid-air and slammed him to the ground with a forceful but controlled motion. The impact caused Furuya to cough up saliva, the wind thoroughly knocked out of him as he lay sprawled on the ground.

"Ugh…" Furuya groaned, pain evident in his voice as he struggled to catch his breath.

Moments later, Laura and Xinyi approached the scene, their expressions a mixture of exasperation and resignation. Xinyi shook her head, a sigh escaping her lips. "We told you not to do that," she chided, her tone carrying a hint of annoyance. "You've seen him in action before, and we warned you that he'd react like this on reflex."

Laura, standing beside Xinyi, added her own brand of blunt commentary. "You're an idiot," she stated flatly, before extending a hand to help Furuya up from the ground. Her movements were brisk, but there was an underlying concern in her actions.

Yasushi, his expression shifting from surprise to concern, reached down to assist Furuya as well. "Sorry, man. You shouldn't do that," he apologized, his voice sincere as he carefully helped his friend to his feet. His eyes scanned over Furuya, checking for any signs of serious injury. "You seem fine," he concluded, relief evident in his tone.

Furuya, still catching his breath, managed a weak grin. "Yeah, yeah, I'll remember that next time," he muttered, rubbing his sore ribs.

"Let's begin with the collection," Yasushi declared, his voice carrying a quiet authority as he took the lead, his steps purposeful. "I'll fill you two in on the details of what transpired last night." With that, he began to walk, and the rest of the group fell into step behind him. Xinyi clung to Jingliu's arm, her affectionate gesture slightly irking Jingliu, though she didn't voice her annoyance.

As they gathered their equipment and tools, the air around them seemed to hum with a sense of anticipation. Once they were fully equipped, they set off towards their destination. Yasushi, true to his word, started to recount the previous night's events in meticulous detail. His voice, steady and calm, painted a vivid picture of the tense and chaotic encounter. All the while, Jingliu's eyes darted around them, subtly scanning their surroundings in search of a familiar figure, but her search yielded no results.

Their path led them to a small cove, a secluded spot that was now mostly frozen over due to the thick blanket of snow. The setting was serene, the stillness of the frozen landscape contrasting sharply with the tension of Yasushi's narrative. "And that's everything," Yasushi concluded, his breath visible in the cold air. "We were fortunate to escape without any injuries."

Laura, shaking her head in a mixture of disbelief and admiration, spoke up. "I'm convinced that you and Jingliu could fend off a lion if you had the right gear."

"Right!?" Furuya chimed in, his tone carrying a hint of incredulous awe. "They're like anime protagonists, it's actually unfair…" He shot both Jingliu and Yasushi a sidelong glance, his eyes wide with a mix of respect and envy.

"Let's remain vigilant. We're the first ones to escape the killer, and if they're both reckless and deranged enough…they might come back for us. If that happens, I'll distract them while the rest of you make your getaway," Yasushi explained, his voice steady but filled with an undercurrent of determination.

"No. I'm staying," Jingliu declared firmly, her eyes almost challenging Yasushi. The intensity of her gaze left no room for argument, her resolve as unyielding as the icy terrain around them.

A palpable tension began to settle over the group, thickening the air with unspoken worries and unacknowledged fears. It was a fragile moment, teetering on the brink of discord, until Xinyi stepped in. With a decisive, yet light-hearted touch, she smacked both of them gently on the head, breaking the spell of tension that had begun to envelop them.

"We're all leaving together," Xinyi interjected, her voice a blend of practicality and reassurance. "Also, I have the police on speed dial, so let's not resort to heroic gestures. We can rely on them if things go south. But I agree with Yasushi, let's stay alert in case the killer does try to come back for any of us." She lifted her black bag, her expression shifting to one of determined enthusiasm. "Anyway, let's get started already!"

The tense atmosphere dissolved as everyone nodded in agreement with Xinyi. Her pragmatic approach and calming presence helped to dispel the unease that had been building. With the tension lifted, they focused on the task ahead, ready to begin their long day of collecting garbage.