foxtrot

  “For asking about her..”

  “alright…I’m sorry again…”

   “It’s okay,I appriciate the help either way…” He…sees her everywhere..but..a soft sigh,and he’ll offer the boy a friendly smile.. “Yeah…I will…if you want me to give her thing,I can try–”

   “…..it’’s alright…I’m sorry..thank you for telling me..”

“M- Mhm... Sorry... I can’t help more...

He could feel the phone in his pocket, a quick flip up and record…   “She was..gonna hurt someone-?…What do you mean-what accident-..who?”

“... I don’t know-- I just heard... And it didn’t sound...

  “Even if she’s gone, you said she’s a ghost right…ghosts…can’t find peace if…no one helps them..”

  “I know but…I just…feel bad for her..”

  “Please I just…I just wanna help her…”

  Mn-…

“….What…do you know…who…hurt her–?”

   “Who told you she was adopted–”

   He didn’t understand. So he did know something…

but he felt a chill go down his spine…he knew…what happened to her…

“A..Ghost…?”

  He’s so sorry…He’s sorry to bring this up…to make him sad..

But Riyu was dead..she wasn’t adopted and with a new happy family that loved her..She lost that when that heartless person brutally killed her.. She’d never smile again, she’d never laugh with a new mother or father..She’d never get to grow older and get to live a life on her own

He’s sorry Ryouta, He’s sorry, but…

Riyu’s killer needs to be found, and justice needs to be served..for her, she deserves that much!!

She deserves to rest in peace!!

  “She wasn’t adopted…”

“... She wasn’t adopted,” he echoed barely loud enough to be heard, assuring to himself. Right-- Arakida told him once...

 Though it was... so difficult to wrap his head around. She.. certainly did exist, after all-- She was his friend, they’d dress up together, they’d spend hours together while Arakida was at school. Arakida didn’t like her so much, but he did... She was Kirihara’s friend. She was waiting for someone to pick her up. She was small and cute and had the biggest smile--

So why were there tears in his eyes..?

Where is she...?

Where is who..?

…..He…..pulled the photo and put it back in his pocket,fingers rubbing against the edge,resisting to grip it closer to his chest…

  “I…I don’t know where she is but..I’m trying to find..her…if you know anything about her..what happened to her..please..tell me…I just want to know…”

“... ...”

What happened to her-?

What was...

Multiple stories in his head-- Multiple explanations, theories on her status right now, despite the bulk of him that was sure she’d be found waiting at home at the orphanage, if he were to just look...

He stumbled another step back, looking over the ground.

  “…” he’d watch wordlessly…wondering what he knew..how much he knew… He had to know she was…dead right?

“.. Do you know where she is-?” He’d turn wide eyes up to the other-- Forgetting that he was just asked much the same question, how like him. He dug fingers into his pockets, and in his mind he looked over the dresser back home-- in the orphanage, wondering if he left it in there. He didn’t lose it-- definitely not, he’ll find it again... 

   He watched guiltily, as the child leaned to look over. It was innocent,childish,the desire to be helpful–but he could see that expression shift…that body language shift…

“I’m just..trying to find her…do you know anything about her…about what happened to her–?”

  “Ah-I see-!….You see….I’ve been looking for someone, she lived in that place too..but I haven’t been able to find her…so maybe you can help me?” He reached into the inner pocket of his jacket…pausing for a moment..a tightness in his chest that he pushes away…as he pulls the picture out…and shows it to the boy..

 “Her names Riyu..”

With a blink, his head would cock like a puppy’s, innocent and naive as anything. He doubted he could help, with whatever it was--  Those memories had already become difficult to grab again, after all. But if he needed help-! He leaned forward to look over it--

...

What did his chest feel like at that moment...?

‘ My dad’s somewhere else ‘

   oh..he doesn’t…realize…mn–

  “We-? What do you mean by we?”

 Arakida. A mental note is taken.  “ah sorry! ….oh, That’s right you-stayed at that one place, (insert orphanage name here) right-?”

... A pause to place it--