Following day - Tokyo Main Streets-
When a bike pulled up in front of her after she left the convenient store. A bike that didn't belong to Yuhi, the last person she expected it to belong to, was Nakara Shin. It seems like she needs to change her opinion of him. This guy isn't the average nerdy scientist.
Shin tossed the helmet towards her. "Get on."
Her eyes twitched, annoyed. What is with the men around her? They all demand things without explaining. Sumire lets the helmet land on the ground.
Shin sighed. "This is important."
"The pudding will melt."
He looked troubled but nodded. "Then, is it fine if we talk in a park or something?"
…
The moment they arrived at the park, Sumire noticed how quiet it was. Recently she noticed this, and it is a lot quieter these days. Shin immediately pulled some documents out and scattered them onto the table.
"Do you recognize any of these men?"
Sumire scanned the photos, and her eyes widened. "These are staff members at my old school." She pointed to the ones on the right. "This one is the janitor, and this one is one of the canteen's servers."
The more she listed, the more she frowned. "Could these people be?"
"All members of the Black Alice organization."
Now that she thought about it whenever Ru showed up at school, he was strangely protective. For example, whenever she went to the cafeteria, he always said that he would line up in her place. Sumire thought it was weird, but she never pried or asked for more details.
To think the members of such an unknown and yet large group was all around her. Sumire frowned as she tapped her finger against the wooden table. "Not a coincidence?"
"Tsukuhara high school headmaster, have you ever met him?"
Sumire nodded. "Of course I have. He is Moonlight middle school president too. He was a popular idol in his time who sold billions of records."
"This man." Shin pointed to the man with long curly hair. "Seems to be acquainted with the headmaster."
The headmaster, huh?
"You don't seem shocked."
"Well, he was always a weird one. I remember when I was working on Nanairo feathers debut song, he kept throwing impossible challenges. Moreover, he tried to kick me out of school several times." Sumire trailed off and sighed at the memory.
Those days were indeed difficult. She went through a lot to prove her talent and ability. She went through so much pain.
"So.."
"So this doesn't surprise me. Yet I don't think he is the type of person who would get involved in the underworld matters." Sumire trailed off. "There is more to this than them simply knowing each other."
"I agree, that was why I planned to investigate the different high schools in this area."
Sumire tilted her head puzzled. "Wouldn't it be better to go to Star Town?"
"Their main base of operations is in Tokyo. Also, these people are no longer working in Tsukuhara high school. I snooped around and found they have different jobs here in Tokyo."
"You're taking me with you?"
Shin sighs deeply. "Well, only if you want." He trailed off, and his gaze fell on her stomach. "It might get dangerous, so think about it."
So Shin knows about her pregnancy too. "I will come with you."
After they cleared the pictures up from the table, she followed Shin out of the park. As they left, Sumire could not help but get the feeling that somebody was watching them. It could just be her imagination, but she turned around and glanced back at the park on the other side of the road.
Not only are the streets so quiet today, but there is no sound anywhere - no sound from the birds either. Something is wrong here, but she doesn't understand what it is.
"Say, Shin?" Sumire asked.
"Yes?"
"Don't you think it is too quiet?" Since earlier, she got this nagging feeling that there was a problem. But unfortunately, she didn't know what it was.
Shin stopped walking for a moment and looked back. "You still can't tell?"
"Huh?"
"Right now, you are dreaming."
She blinked when she heard those words. Huh? Is he-- "Wait, Im in a dream?"
"If you think about it carefully, yes. Do you genuinely think a place as heavily populated as Tokyo would be this quiet?"
A dream? But this morning she remembered leaving the house- or did she? Now that she thought it through, she isn't sure. Yuhi hugged her from the back, kissed her a bit, and didn't stop. He carried her back to the room.
"Wait if this is a dream, why are you here too... Unless your just my imagination."
Shin sighed. "This girl is investigating superpowers, but she finds this situation strange."
Sumire frowned. "Well, this is.."
"Were inside a dream, somebody trapped you here. I came here willingly because I need to investigate. I was with my team, but we ended up getting separated." Shin explained to her.
Did somebody trap her here? It seems like that organization is after her. But it doesn't seem like they want her dead. If they wanted her to die, they would have done it back then. Her most vulnerable moment was after Ru died. She locked herself up in his house and refused to see anybody. If they wanted her dead, they would have taken advantage of that a long time ago.
So what is their purpose- Sumire paused in mid-thought when she felt her vision go blurry. A pounding sound appeared in her head.
Her thoughts broke off when she felt Shin brush his hand across her forehead. "Excuse me."
Her eyes widened. Ah, somehow, this seems familiar. She has vague memories of something like this happening before—a young boy helping a young girl after she chased away some bullies.
"I think you have a fever, sit down for a moment?"
Sumire nodded, and he led her to some benches, not too far away. "Getting nausea in a dream is pathetic." She mumbled.
"Well, you are pregnant. This may be a dream, but they dragged your real body into the dream world."
"So, I'm not just sleeping?"
"You're in a trapped space." Shin trailed off. "Were you with Yuhi?"
At that comment, she nodded.
"Right about now, he must be trying to get you out. Or knowing him, he will try to come here."
"Come here?"
As she listened to Shin explain things, she felt bile in her throat and covered her mouth. It seems like she needs to get a bit of a reality check. Carelessly going out and investigating in her situation is no good.